A Cinderella Story
by PerfectxSweetheartx
Summary: Nothing ever went right for Gabriella. What happens when the unfortunate beauty agrees to meet her mystery guy, whom she had met in an online chat room, at the schools Halloween dance? She was in for a shock of a lifetime, & a web of unexpected emotions.
1. Once Upon A Time

**So,** **guys, this story really means a lot to me. I'm kind of starting it off after a long period of uncertainty, and I feel like my writing has matured and I hope it shows in this story. I've tried using new techniques and a more intricate way of writing that I'm still working on but it seems to be getting easier as I go along. The inspiration for this story is obviously the movie version, **_**A Cinderella Story**_**, with Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray. I envisioned Troy and Gabriella as these roles and I immediately fell in love with the story line. However, I do hate reading stories that are like the movies, it's like re-watching a movie, am I right? So, I hope you all are pleased to hear that I'm going to make this story as much unique to the movie as I possibly can, however there will still be some similarities, obviously big ones, like the Halloween ball and her going as Cinderella. Thank you for clicking on it and giving it a chance. I hope you enjoy (:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**A Cinderella Story **_**or**_** High School Musical**_**, only my own original ideas that I merged in with it. **

_A Cinderella Story_

Fairytales are rather different in some eyes.

The way they are told can affect us in such a way that we never forget them, that we pass them on to our children and these tales continue throughout generations. Most people think of a horse drawn carriage, prince charming, a beautiful sparkling gown that makes the fair maiden stick out from the rest of the unlucky try-hards.

Stories can be read from all different viewpoints, they can be analyzed, dissected, criticized, admired, but most of all they can be memorized. The average human being could not go without saying they have not heard the stories that Disney has created and publicized to the whole world. The stories of beauties and beasts, dwarfs and sleeping maidens, street rats and adventurous heiresses, a long green fin turned to feet.

One story, however, can be changed. It can be tampered with, tweaked, butchered, magnified, anything you want because it is so universal that the original moral can be seen through a vast number of scenarios. This story is one of an unfortunate young girl, a girl who is beautiful yet treated ugly.

Cinderella is one of many fairytales that can be altered through ones inquisitive eyes. Whether you believe or not, whether you are so set on accepting the harshest realities, the ones where you don't get what you want, where you don't stand out from the crowd, but whether you go by any of these at all…

You can still enjoy the fantasy.

See it how you may, but today, this is how Cinderella is set to play.

…

_BEEP BEEP BEEP_

"GABRISMELLA!"

_BEEP BEEP BEEP_

"WAKE UP AND MAKE BREAKFAST!"

_BEEP BEEP BEEP_

"WHERE'S MY ENGLISH PAPER THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DO?"

_BEEP BEEP BE-_

Just as she removed her palm from the bulky old alarm clock located on the bedside table, the door to her small attic bedroom swung open, hitting the wall behind it with a _THUD._

"Gabriella! What are you doing still asleep? You were supposed to be making our breakfast an hour ago! Get the hell up and get started!"

She groaned, ripping the thin blanket off of her petite body. "Yes, Regina." She groaned again at the raspy sound of her own voice.

The tall lanky woman sneered with disgust at her step daughter before spinning on her tall hot pink stilettos and retreating down the creaky wooden staircase.

"Don't trip." Gabriella muttered sarcastically, shuffling with exhaustion towards her small, closet-like, bathroom. Her olive skin was worn out and her usually rich chocolate brown eyes were drooping with the lack of sleep. She stared at herself in the quaint, dirty mirror. "Great." She spat bitterly, noting her appearance.

Quickly pulling her long dark tresses into a messy ponytail, she grabbed her toothbrush, sticking the paste-full hygienic utensil into her mouth hastily while scampering towards her dresser drawers. She hit the top drawer twice to let out the kink and opened it slowly, for the wood of the dresser was old and fragile. Grabbing a dark blue long sleeved shirt and some old light destroyed jeans, she pulled off her sweat pants with her feet.

She quickly pulled on her jeans and hoisted them up, running back to the bathroom to spit out the foamy liquid that had collected in her mouth. Just as she was rinsing out the paste and splashing cold water over her face, a loud bellow was heard yet again from her intercom.

"GABRIELLA!"

"Shut up…" She tore off her shirt and pulled on the long sleeve. "I'm coming Regina!" She yelled back, collecting the various notes and papers strewn about her small full sized bed that she had fallen asleep on whilst studying. As she stuffed the notes in her bag she slipped on her battered up sneakers and hoisted her black back pack onto her skinny shoulders. "One minute!"

"NOW!"

Groaning, Gabriella hurried towards the stairs right outside her bedroom, grabbing her favorite blue baseball cap on her way.

Just as she shut the door behind her there was a small _ding _heard from the bulky antique computer located in the corner of her room, indicating that she had a new instant message

A message from the one guy that could make her smile when all she ever seemed to want to do was cry.

…

"Ryan, _what the hell_ are you wearing?"

The lanky pale blonde haired male in her passenger's seat looked down at his colorful attire and shrugged. "The usual."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, revving up her rusty old pick up truck. "Well then, I guess we need to work on your usual."

He mocked astonishment, though clear amusement was swimming in his eyes. "Ms. Montez, I beg to differ. The ladies love the metro sexual types."

Gabriella smiled with amusement. "Oh, really?"

He wiggled his eyebrows. "Just you wait honey, soon even Vivian Cummings will be drooling at my feet."

She laughed and adjusted the cap on her head. "I don't know what you see in Vivian. She's probably the most materialistic human being I have ever met. And the meanest, no doubt."

Ryan sighed. "Yup. I know. But some day she'll realize that to be with me she's going to have to change."

"Huh," She rolled her brown orbs. "And for that to happen she's going to have to actually _want_ to be with you."

The stylish male crossed his arms. "I resent that."

As Gabriella snickered at his reply there was a loud cough heard from her car.

"Shit, what was that?"

She shrugged. "It's the engine, don't worry. It always does that."

He looked at her with disbelief. "Gabs, one of these days this pile of junk is going to stall and strand you in the middle of nowhere."

"Hey! Don't diss the car!"

He shrugged. "I'm just saying."

"Well why don't you get a ride with your sister then? Or I don't know, get a car of your own so you can drive yourself to school?"

He gulped. "I love your car. It's magical and pretty and will never stall or strand you in the middle of nowhere."

She smirked, glancing over at his cheeky smile. "Yeah," She giggled lightly. "That's what I thought."

"I'd rather die than drive to school with my sister and her loud squeaky friends, even if Vivian is one of them."

Gabriella put her turn signals on, biting her lip as she craned her neck to check out her blind spot. "I don't get why Sharpay follows her around all the time. She's better than that…" She turned sharply to the right, straightening up and glancing over at her best friend next to her. "Or, she used to be better than that."

Sharpay Evans used to be one of Gabriella's best friends; the three as young kids had grown up together and played in the sand box as their parents watched with love. But not only Gabriella's life changed when her father died. Ryan stuck around, let his grieving friend cry on his shoulder and scream with fury at him when she wondered why the world could be so cruel. He stood in the line of fire for her. Sharpay had not been strong enough.

Ryan sighed. "Sometimes it's like I don't even recognize her anymore. I mean, we're supposed to be twins and we haven't hung out since she became one of Vivian's minions. Plus," He smirked, knowing the brunette next to him would get annoyed by this. "She's my sister and she won't even help me get into Vivian's pants."

Gabriella cringed. "Please," She shivered. "Don't ever say that again."

He laughed from the passenger's seat, watching through the window as they turned into the East High School parking lot.

"And you know why I can't get a car of my own…"

She snickered, looking around for a parking spot. "Yeah, cause you suck at driving and every expensive car your dad buys you, minutes later you end up wrecking it."

He glared at the side of her blemish free face. "I too, resent that."

Laughing at his pout she turned for the available parking spot that had just cleared up on her right. "Shit!" She slammed down on her brake, the two bodies in the beat up car jolting forward and slamming back into their seats as they watched with wide eyes as a shiny black range rover sliced in front of them and turned right into their parking space. "You have got to be kidding me!" Gabriella yelled, hitting her steering wheel with rage as the expensive car cut her off.

Just then a bright pink convertible came at a high speed towards them, taking up the next three available parking spaces.

"Come on!" Ryan yelled, watching his sister selfishly claim three spots when all her car needed was one.

"Ryan," Gabriella seethed with clenched teeth. "No offense, but I officially hate your sister now."

He gritted his teeth as well, glancing over at her angered expression. "Non taken."

There was a _beep beep _as the range rover that had cut them off clicked to a lock as four males came into view and stood in front of their car.

"Oh baby!" Vivian hopped from the passenger's seat of Sharpay's car and scampered over to the four boys. Sharpay, Bethany Lafave, and Jillian Jennings hopped from the car as well in their miniskirts and cropped tops, following their leader to mingle with the boys.

"The nerve of them…" Gabriella said under her breath, watching as the most popular people at their school stood in front of them without a care in the world.

Suddenly, as if not knowing what came over her, she honked her horn loudly, getting the attention of the group.

The three girls all zoned in on her with their intense stares. Sharpay seemed to loosen up a bit as she spotted her brother and her old friend, the other three girl's sported disgusted sneers on their makeup piled faces.

"NERD ALERT!" Jillian yelled, cupping her hands over her mouth and sneering at the two.

Gabriella rolled her eyes, watching the girls glare at her as if it actually affected the much well rounded brunette. The guys were a different story. Although they hung out with Vivian and were considered the most popular guys at East High, they really didn't give a shit. Yeah, they didn't hang out with people like Gabriella nor did they talk to her, but they weren't so stereotypical as to torture her with bullying either. The school had cliques, but it was anything from cliché.

The two known as Jason Cross and Zeke Baylor seemed to be goofing off and pushing each other around as the afro haired male known as Chad Danforth peered into her truck with a curious expression. Now Chad wasn't what most expected, although cocky most of the time, when it came down to it he could be a pretty decent human being. And Gabriella wasn't going to deny that he could make her laugh, even if he wasn't necessarily telling the joke to her. However, she still didn't approve of the choices of company he kept.

Her brown orbs then landed on the king of East High, the golden boy of basketball, the blessed by the god's of good looks, male of the twenty first century. His tall stature leaned casually against his car, the bronze of his sculpted, muscular body glowing under the suns light. Looking up from his shuffling shoes, as if in a world of his own, his thoughtful expression turned into one of curiosity as he gazed towards her as well. Gabriella watched as Troy Bolton flicked the radiant chestnut hair away from his bright, Caribbean blue eyes and indifferently looked at her and Ryan through the glass, wondering who had honked the horn. She wasn't going to deny that his eyes even sometimes made her swoon, they were unforgettably mesmerizing, holding a side of him that she didn't even know existed. Yet.

She broke her stare and shook her head. "Do they not get the fucking hint?" She spat, glancing over at Ryan who was sending disapproving looks to his sister who was currently staring at Zeke Baylor with a bit lip and fluttering fake eyelashes.

Suddenly the group at the top of the social level started walking past the car, the three girls giving Gabriella and Ryan menacing smirks as Sharpay just strutted past them as if they weren't even there.

The boys walked by indifferently, Chad sending over an apologetic look that Gabriella could care less about. She was about to rev up and go looking for another space when a small tap was heard on her window. She turned her head to find Troy Bolton leaning down with an unreadable expression and his hands in his pockets casually.

She furrowed her eyebrows as she pulled down the window. "Yes?" She spat bluntly.

"Look," He sighed. "I didn't mean to cut you off, sorry, I was kinda…I just wasn't paying attention."

Gabriella stared at his flawless face for a moment, trying to read the sincerity. "It's okay." She grumbled, rolling up the window rudely and looking ahead of her. She drove forward and watched in the rear view mirror as the golden boy sighed and shook his head, following his friends to the entrance of East High.

"That was kind of rude Gabs." Ryan commented from the passenger's seat.

The brunette shot him daggers, turning into a space at the end of the lot. "Screw you. He's Troy fanfuckingtastic Bolton, I don't give a shit if I'm rude to him."

He sighed and followed her out of the car, watching as she locked it manually behind her. The blonde walked into step with her as they made their way towards the school. "He never did anything to you, Gabs."

She rolled her eyes. "He's one of them. He's no different from Vivian, no wonder they're dating."

Ryan shrugged. "I don't know…I mean he did say sorry."

Gabriella remained silent as they continued towards the large brick building. She had already made up her mind about Troy Bolton.

…

"Gabi! Gabi!"

She whipped around, the long raven tresses that were currently pulled into a messy ponytail whirling around and smacking the side of her jaw. She looked around, her deep chocolate eyes hidden beneath the blue cap that she rarely took off in public.

"Hey." Taylor said breathlessly, standing before her with an excited expression on her smooth, dark skinned face.

Gabriella smiled with amusement. "Breathe much, Tay?"

The petite African American girl shook her head, her short bob sculpting her muscular face beautifully. "You have no idea how long I've been looking for you."

She raised one of her dark clean eyebrows with alarm. "What's wrong?"

Taylor's eyes widened slightly. "Oh! No, it's nothing bad, don't worry."

Gabriella's face relaxed, looking at her other best friend with a soft smile. "Then what is it, Tay?"

Taylor Mckessie was the one girl friend that Gabriella seemed to be the most alike. They had met their first day of freshman year, and ever since both girls had been extremely good friends. Although Taylor was more confident and walked with her head up and her preppy mature suits hugging her frame with sophistication, she was probably one of the nicest people to ever go to East High School. She was no doubt academically devoted, spending most of her time at after school activities and running the school as student body President. Gabriella was also a member of the Student Council Committee, and was ranked number two-after Taylor of course- in the whole school, but she would never be as driven as her aspiring friend.

"Oh, I was just trying to tell you that the meeting today is cancelled. Principal Matsui wouldn't let me announce it over the intercom, said it was unnecessary." She rolled her dark eyes. "What a prick."

Gabriella giggled. "That was the big news?"

Taylor raised her waxed eyebrows with attitude. She scoffed. "Well excuse me for finding it urgent. I am President after all, it's my duty, and I have to go around and find everyone else on the committee as well so I'm pretty worn out thank you very much. Stupid Matsui, wouldn't let me announce it, huh, well he won't be telling me what to do when I become President of the United freaking States, yeah I'd love to see him-"

"Taylor!" She stopped her rambling friend. Although the two were extremely close, for she was Gabriella's closest girl friend, Ryan would always be her best confidant. Taylor would always put her future first and her goals would always be her best friend. "Chill alright? Everything will be fine. If I see anyone in the committee today I'll tell them too that the meeting was cancelled. Just take a breather, maybe during lunch grab a latte or something?"

She sighed, placing a firm hand on Gabriella's slim shoulder. "Always my personal therapist. Thank's Gabs."

She giggled, nodding with a smile on her smooth pink lips. "No problem."

Taylor grinned and gestured to the hallway behind her. "I gotta run, I'll see you later?"

Gabriella nodded. "Later."

The student body President turned on her heels and strutted down the hallway, people moving to get out of the way. Gabriella giggled to herself and turned around as well, shaking her head as she headed for her own class.

Suddenly a body collided with hers and she dropped the textbooks in her arms, jammed with papers in between the worn out pages, all over the floor. "Jesus!"

She looked up to find Fran and Eliza, her 'evil stepsisters' staring back at her with angry expressions on their unattractive faces.

Fran crossed her bony arms with frustration and rolled her beady eyes. "Watch where the hell you're going Gabriella!" Her tall bony frame towered over Gabriella who sighed and kneeled down to collect her books.

Eliza scoffed, placing her pudgy hands on her wide hips. Unlike her sister, she was short, and rather obese. "You know, mom was very, very, angry this morning. She told us to tell you that you need to get to the diner as soon as possible. You're working tonight."

Gabriella stood up, holding her now mess of a pile of books in her small arms. "I obviously have to go after school ends, I can't just leave."

The stout girl with a heap of makeup flipped her ratty orange hair over her shoulder. "Well that's not our problem. She doesn't need you now, you just have to work tonight. All night." She sneered meanly.

The beauty sighed. "But I have loads of homework to do, plus I have to finish that paper you wanted me to write Fran." She glanced over at the lanky one of the two. "I can't possibly work all night."

Fran shrugged. "Don't care." She nudged her sister. "Let's go."

They both walked off with their fake prada purses, leaving the unfortunate of the three to stand in the now empty hallway with an irritated look on the smooth skin of her face.

The diner was a small restaurant in the center of town that almost everyone went to. It was now called _Regina's_, previously called _Maria's_, for it was her mother's first. When Gabriella was six years old her mother had died of cancer, leaving her father and her alone. They did well for themselves, they kept the diner in all its glory, the only thing that reminded them that they were still a family, that Maria would always be with them. When Greg had met Regina, life had not only changed, but turned Gabriella's life into a living hell. The day her father started seeing the Devil she was no longer the only girl in her father's life, although her father made it clear to his little _Ella,_ that she would always be number one. Then just seven months after they had met, Regina Hortie had turned into Regina Montez.

And as if Gabriella's undeserving life could get any worse, the unspeakable happened. Just two years later when Gabriella was just ten years old, her father was crushed and pronounced dead in a car accident. And her whole world went crashing down, independence and all.

She was officially adopted by Regina. And was officially the unfortunate beauty that lived in the old attic.

But that was just how the story began.

…

"Alright my rowdy bunch of miscreants, get a book out, some homework, whatever." The young teacher sat at the desk at the front of the room, leaning back in his big black chair and placing his feet on the wood in front of him. "Study hall begins…" He closed his eyes as the final bell rang. "Now."

Troy sighed at his seat in the back of the large classroom, his eyebrows knit together as he tried to concentrate on finishing his AP Calculus homework. Although he was the godly basketball captain he was also quite intelligent. It was an understatement to say that not many people knew this about him. Suddenly, as if answering his prayers to get a break from the difficult math formulas, his cell phone began to vibrate in his right jeans pocket. He dug it out and read the name on his screen with an erupting bright smile.

It was _**StanfordSurvivor421.**_

'_**Have I ever told u how much I hate my sisters?'**_

He chuckled at the text and his strong fingers quickly typed a reply:

'_**I think u've told me once or twice lol'**_

He flipped his phone shut and tapped the wood of his desk anxiously, waiting for a reply from the mystery girl that he had yet to know the identity of. Two months ago he had met StanfordSurvivor421 in an online chat room about the university. And after finding out that they both went to the same high school, that they both didn't have perfect lives, they had been talking ever since. Troy found this mystery girl more intriguing with every passing conversation. He had learned new things about her since that first chat two months ago, like she was determined to get into Stanford on a scholarship, so she could move far away and finally get her freedom. Freedom from what exactly, he didn't know. He knew she had horrible sisters, but that was about it.

She was easy to talk to, she understood what he felt, that he was different. They told each other when they had bad days, vented their feelings, and now, emailed and texted like they had known each other their whole lives.

Troy had never told anyone his aspiration of going to Stanford University except for this mystery girl, everyone expected him to go to U of A for basketball. _His father_ expected him to go to U of A for basketball. It's not like he was set on Stanford, he was just curious about the school, trying to keep his options open. He wanted other things. He loved basketball, and he didn't want to give it up. But what no one except StanfordSurvivor421 knew was that he also loved children, and hoped to study child psychology in college. So maybe, just maybe, if basketball didn't work out he could help kids overcome physical and mental problems, like paralysis or autism.

His desk vibrated under his cell phone and he anxiously flipped the sleek phone open and laughed quietly to himself at her reply.

'_**Well I thought I'd tell u just 1 more time'**_

He shook his head with an amused smile and proceeded to reply.

…

Gabriella sat in the back corner of her English class with a dull expression on her face. She doodled on her black notebook with boredom. Her teacher was currently giving a lecture about iambic pentameter, which she already knew everything about for it was pretty much the easiest concept in the world.

She jumped with excitement as her battered old phone vibrated in her lap. She flipped it open quietly under her desk to see that BBallJunkie14 had replied quicker than she had anticipated.

'_**I appreciate that! Have I evr told u how much I hate calculus?'**_

She giggled quietly to herself before replying: '_**Eh, once or twice. But trust me, I know how u feel, it's the worst.'**_

She waited for a reply which just like last time came extremely fast.

'_**Calc is the only shit that I'm not gud at. ):'**_

She shook her head and bit her lip as she thought of what to say. Her fingers danced across the keys of her old flip phone. '_**R u good at flying?'**_

She bit her tongue to suppress her laughter at his reply_: '__**Okay, are u some psycho bipolar druggie or somethin? Cause tell me now so I can cut my contact with u.'**_

She squirmed with muffled laughter in her seat, glancing up at the teacher to make sure she didn't notice. Once she made sure Mrs. Goodman was too engrossed in her lecture to give a damn, Gabriella looked back down at her phone as her fingers sprang across the keys. '_**Just answer the question smart ass!'**_

'_**Ok…no, I'm not good at flying. I kinda suck.'**_

She rolled her eyes at his sarcasm as she quickly typed away. '_**There u go, 1 more thing ur bad at. Now calc isn't the only thing.'**_

There was a little longer wait for his reply, which made her even more squeamish.

'_**Are u trying to take a dump on my ego?'**_

She placed her elbow on the desk and her head in her hand, an amused smirk on her face as she looked down at the device in her other hand that rested on the wood desk. '_**U guessed it. Haha?'**_

'_**Yeah, no.'**_

She laughed quietly to herself and gazed down at her phone.

She had originally just started talking to this mystery guy when she had come across an online chat room for people interested in Stanford University. One thing led to another and she had been emailing and texting this stranger every day since. At the beginning both had made it clear that it would be dangerous to reveal their real identities, so they kept their really personal information to themselves, like where they lived exactly, who they hung out with, what their name was.

They inevitably figured out that they both went to East High, and every day Gabriella would find herself look at some stranger and wonder if it was BBallJunkie14, the guy that had been her saving grace for more times than she could keep count of. There were over one thousand kids at East High, and the crowded hallways contained hundreds of males that could be the closet therapist that she thought about more than a girl should think of a guy she hardly knew. Over the time that they had been talking she naturally figured out some things about her mystery guy. Obviously, that he was indeed a guy, that was a given. He also loved sports and was a closet genius, and that he did not have a perfect life, much like herself.

'_**Lol sorry! If it helps, I suck at calculus too.'**_

She glanced up at her teacher as she instructed the class that it was silent reading time. Gabriella got out her Jodi Picoult novel and laid it out on her desk, her cell phone open and in the crease of her book.

'_**Eh, it slightly makes me feel better. (; How has ur day been so far?'**_

She didn't hesitate.

'_**It just got a whole lot better.'**_

**SO. What do you guys think? Please review! This chapter was kind of just an introduction. I wanted to get the information out first so I could start with the story line! Hope you continue to follow this story. (:**


	2. Rough

A Cinderella Story

There was a muffled noise heard from the speakers on the ceiling of the large school, some students looking up to await an announcement as others just continued to walk down the wide hallway indifferently.

_'Students of East High! It's that time of year!'_

Gabriella rolled her eyes at the ecstatic voice of the school's neurotic guidance counselor, Ms. Newburry. Let's just say that everyone thought she was a little cuckoo for someone meant to help others with their problems.

_'It's the dance you've all been waiting for! The annual homecoming Halloween ball is tomorrow!'_

The young brunette sighed indifferently. Even though she had helped to organize the majority of the dances held at the school, she hated them, and anything to do with dressing up to attend a get together where most everyone treated her like crap and didn't even know her name, just that she was diner girl.

_'As you all know, this year it will be Halloween themed! Come in any formal costume attire! The dance will begin at eight and end at twelve thirty.'_

Gabriella sent a smile to Taylor who had just arrived at her own locker, a couple down from hers for the lockers were in alphabetical order.

_'Don't forget to purchase your tickets!_ _And I can't wait to see all of your costumes!'_

"Hey Gabi."

She whipped her head to the other side as Chace Hoover leaned against the locker beside hers with a charming smile on. "Hey Chase, how are you?" She asked sweetly.

He shrugged. "School sucks, the usual." Chace Hoover had been in school with Gabriella since their elementary years and he was probably the nicest semipopular guy that she knew well and actually could call a friend. He played varsity baseball and always had a winning smile on his face, something that the brunette always found appealing, in a brotherly sort of way though. Although he was friends with people who didn't know her as anyone but diner girl, he still managed to treat her like he did everyone else. With respect and optimism. Some people found it strange that he took the time with her, because of his glowing skin, bright green eyes, and sandy blonde hair that spiked up slightly, he was considered pretty good looking, and Ryan didn't waste his time on teasing Gabriella about how much Chace wanted to get into her pants, which she would always just brush off with a roll of her eyes.

"You don't have to tell me twice..." She sighed. "Did you do the extra credit proof for Ms. Williams?"

"Yeah, actually. It took me like two hours, but I got it done."

She groaned. "You're lucky cause i haven't even looked at it yet. I've had so much more work to do that it's been at the bottom of my list, since it's optional and all."

He raised one of his blonde eyebrows. "That's because you spend all your time finishing Fran and Eliza's work as well, something that is totally ridiculous if you ask me."

Gabriella sent him daggers. Chace had been one of her friends for so long that they had created a comfortable bond, being able to tell each other things that only few people knew. He was someone that Gabriella vented to when Ryan wasn't around and she couldn't be more thankful for him. "You don't get it, alright?" She turned back to her locker, rearranging two of her textbooks. "I don't have a choice."

He sighed beside her. "It's your business."

She smiled lightly at him. "You got it, dude."

He chuckled at her line before nudging her hip with his own, sending her one of his winning smiles. "I'll catch you later, Gabs."

"See ya." She gave him a small wave as he walked away, another bright smile gracing her face as she spotted Taylor walking her way.

"Hey."

"Hey Tay," She placed her notebook on the top shelf of her locker before closing it and turning towards her friend. "What's going on?"

Taylor wiggled her eyebrows teasingly. "I saw you flirting it up with Chace."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, adjusting her back pack straps on her shoulders. "Oh shush. We're just really good friends, that's it."

"Mhm." The darker girl smiled menacingly. "Just you wait, you guys are going to start dating and then you'll be apologizing to Ryan and I for not believing us when we tell you that Chace is so in love with you."

"Taylor," She sighed. "For the last time, we've been friends for a really long time, we're past that 'what if' stage, alright? I see him as my brother now, and that couldn't change or else it would be really weird."

"No," Taylor corrected. "Ryan is like your girly brother, Chace is like your hot fuck buddy."

"Taylor!' Her brown eyes widened at the accusation, looking around consciously. "Christ, will you just drop it?"

She shrugged with satisfaction at the horrified look on her friends face. "Whatever you say, Gabs."

Gabriella shook her head. "So," She said with a sigh, deciding to quickly change the subject. "How was your day?"

Taylor sighed as well, adjusting the strap of her leather shoulder bag. "I think I got to everyone, so hopefully no one shows up thinking there's a meeting today."

Gabriella nodded slowly. "Right, I'm sure everyone knows. The word would've spread, you know how good East High is at doing that…" She walked into step next to her friend as they headed to the end of the hallway towards the main doors that would lead them to the parking lot.

The aspiring politician scoffed. "Oh I know."

East High was in fact very good at spreading a rumor, or news, or the latest gossip around to pretty much everyone. Word traveled fast.

"Thank god it's Friday tomorrow," Taylor sighed with relief, walking out of the large doors with Gabriella to her left. "I'm so excited for the dance tomorrow, I just know with all the planning that we did it'll be great."

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure it will be."

The darker girl glanced over at her closest girl friend as they walked down and stopped just before the student lot. "You're going…right?"

Gabriella glanced warily at Taylor before bowing her head. "Tay…you know dances aren't my thing…"

"What?" Her dark eyes zeroed in on a now cringed back Gabriella. "Gabs! You helped organize this! You can't not go!"

"Sorry, but I've already made up my mind."

Taylor was about to rebut before noticing the time on her wrist watch. "Shit, I have to go!" She looked up at her friend one more time. "Gabs, please reconsider going. It's the homecoming dance, the biggest event of the year, only second to prom." She sighed, glancing at her awaiting little green eco-friendly car. "Please, just think about it."

Gabriella sighed, nodding hesitantly. "Alright, I'll think about it…"

"Thank you!" She hugged Gabriella tightly before rushing off towards her car.

The beautiful brunette watched with sad eyes as her friend left, knowing that she still would not go to the dance, even if she thought about it. No one could convince her.

Just then a vibration in her pocket startled her. She retrieved her phone and flipped it open, a gentle smile gracing her face at the text across her screen in black letters.

'_**So, Stanford girl, get thru the day ok?'**_

She sighed, looking both ways on the car loop before heading for her old truck at the far end of the lot. **'**_**Depends, what's ur definition of ok?'**_

'…_**Hmm, well I wud say it's when ur not physically injured & u dnt want to rip a baby's head off.'**_

Gabriella giggled as she held her phone in her right hand and unlocked her car with her left. **'**_**Then I guess I'm ok, how about u?'**_

She got into her car and waited for a reply, in the mean time putting her phone from vibrate to low sound. Ryan stayed after school every day to rehearse for the numerous plays that he starred in, and when he didn't have rehearsal he just got a ride with Sharpay, so after school every day Gabriella headed straight to work at the diner. After a minute or so of her mystery guy not replying she started to wonder if there was going to be one at all. Maybe he forgot? His battery died?

She shrugged it off. Just as she started her car and craned her neck around to reverse, a small beep was heard from her dashboard. She whirled back around and grinned, flipping open her phone.

'_**I'm okay now that I'm talking to u'**_

She smiled. It's like he had read her mind.

…

"What the hell are you doing Gabi?" The pale pretty manager of the diner placed a hand around Gabriella's small shoulder and spun her around. "It's nearly eleven thirty in the night and you have school tomorrow."

The senior in high school sighed and blew back her long bangs. "I didn't work this morning Carly, I have to make up for lost time or Regina will kill me."

Carly had been with Gabriella since her mother had first opened the diner, she was like an older sister to the orphan and seemed to always be there when she needed her. "Honey, I'll take care of Regina, you just get on home and get your homework done."

Gabriella gave her a pointed look. "Carly, you know I can't. I have to finish up." She turned back around and continued to collect the dirty plates and utensils on the tables that she was currently bussing.

Carly shook her shoulder length dirty blonde hair and turned her around again. She gave the young brunette a stern look. "Go home."

Gabriella bit her lip with a hesitant stare before she finally sighed with defeat. "Thanks Carly."

She shooed her away. "Get!"

The brunette removed her pink apron and placed it behind the counter. As she grabbed her bag and placed her cap back on she turned to glance back at the diner.

It was like her home. Her house was never like a home to her, well ever since her father died it didn't feel like home. The diner was where her real family was, the people that cared about her, even if she had to work like a slave and get ordered around by Regina. And even if it didn't look like the original diner that her mother had designed, with warm blue booths and yellow tiled floors. Even if it was all pink and looked more like Barbie's Malibu hut, it was still like home.

She turned for the door and smirked as she heard Carly yell behind her.

"And I better not see your ass in here before the crack of dawn tomorrow! You need sleep!"

…

'_**Do you ever feel like a shadow?'**_

She furrowed her eyebrows at the perplexing message that popped up onto her computer screen that illuminated her dark bedroom. Forgetting about the English paper that she was currently working on she read over the message from her mystery guy again. Emailing was so much easier than texting, and she savored the nights when they stayed up late online, just talking. Really talking, not abbreviating their words like texting but really getting to talk and not worry about teachers catching them or getting into an accident whilst driving. Now when she was alone with just her computer and him, she loved this. Gabriella hesitated before replying:

'_**What do you mean?'**_

There was a small moment before he replied and her computer let out a soft _bing._

'_**A shadow. Like you're two people. One of them is visible, the part of you that people see and know, but the other part, your shadow…it's like you're not even a part of your own body, like your just living life with no meaning until you become one whole person.'**_

She read the message twice like the last one, trying to read between the lines and figure out where the randomness came from. She knew that very feeling and didn't know how to tell him in enough words that she indeed understood where he was coming from. So she said the only thing she could.

'_**I get it.'**_

She sat back in her computer chair and waited for his reply to pop up onto her screen, which it did after about half a minute.

'_**I know you do. You're the only one that does.'**_

Gabriella felt her lips form a soft smile. _**'Same. I'm glad I have you to talk to.'**_

There was another long moment before a reply. But as her computer _binged_ again and she read the words on the screen her heart seemed to stop, her eyes going wide, and her palms getting clammy.

'_**I need to meet you Stanford girl.'**_

She stared at her screen for a long time before plucking up the courage to press her tiny fingers to her keyboard. Her fingers stayed still on the keypad as she battled with herself on what to say. _Do I agree, say let's meet? Do I tell him it's not a good idea..._She sighed and nodded, pulling herself together and agreeing on a reply.

'_**Elaborate…'**_

She bit her lip nervously and jumped as he replied almost instantly.

'_**Meet me at the dance tomorrow. 11 pm. The middle of the dance floor.'**_

She glanced around her room with a distraught expression. Should she do this? Meet him? What if she wasn't what he was expecting…she was diner girl for god's sake. Or, what if he wasn't what she expected? What if he turned out to be the opposite of what she thought? She had to decide whether to take the leap or stay in the pond.

In that moment she instantly remembered what her father used to tell her when she was a little girl.

"_Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first."_

She smiled sadly to herself, remembering the days when her father would play baseball or basketball with her in their yard.

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as her fingers danced across her computer keyboard.

**SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY. I know it was short! But it was just a filler, I promise!** **Yikes, please review? Is it okay so far? Any suggestions, anything you'd like to see changed or brought up? I love criticism, lol don't worry. Oh and I know right now there isn't a lot of Troyella, but I'm trying to take this story slow, to make it more realistic, so please be patient! The fluff will come very soon, I guarantee it!**


	3. Not So Bad

**HEY GUYS, just a little news. I know so far this story has been A LOT like the movie, and I feel bad about that because I don't want to do that, but you guys have to understand that to write this story, obviously, the beginning is going to be way similar. I've already written the next few chapters and I can guarantee that after chapter 4, the story completely changes and it's hardly similar to the movie, so please be patient with me. Thanks guys.**

A Cinderella Story

Gabriella had gone through much in her life, many obstacles that seemed destined to make her life even more difficult. She didn't know why she was so unlucky, why she was always screwed over, why things _never_ worked out for her.

"But Regin-"

"Gabriella." The tall woman placed her bony fingers out to stop her step daughter from talking. "Look honey," She smiled fakely, her botoxed face tight at the expression. "You are very lucky to have this job at the diner, and I'm being extremely giving and nice for letting you keep it. You want to have money for college don't you?"

_If I can get a scholarship I won't need you. _"Yes, Regina."

"And you like living in this house, don't you?"

_Hell no._ "Yes, Regina."

"Well," She flipped her bleached hair over her shoulder and smoothed down her skin tight pink dress. "Then I guess we're done here." Sitting back down on her sunbather, she retrieved her magazine that she had been reading before. "You're working tonight Gabriella, and that's that."

"Please, Regina, I can't miss this dance-"

"_We're done here_." Tilting her sunglasses off of her bony nose, the widower gave the young beauty a stern glare. "Now get over there and get started." She relaxed and opened the fashion magazine. "I have to drop off Fran and Eliza at the dance so I won't be in till late. Tell Carly not to mess things up."

Gabriella stared at her adoptive mother for a long moment, a defeated look on her face. She sighed and shook her head.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Regina spat, not even glancing up from her magazine.

Gabriella stopped her quivering lip and put on a strong face. "Sorry." She muttered, turning around to run back to the house and slam the door shut behind her. She huffed, letting silent tears cloud her vision and putting on her unbreakable demeanor as she walked up to her room.

_Just seven more months, and I'm free._

…

"Damnit!" She yelped, clutching her bruised finger and dropping the bucket of soapy water. She muttered incoherently to herself as she squeezed her now red index finger, the indent from the buckets bottom evident on her usually smooth skin.

"Hey, are you alright darling?" Margaret walked over, looking down at Gabriella's small hand and pained expression.

"Uh, yeah." She shook her hand and sighed with irritation, the pain slowly easing away until it was just a slight throbbing. "I clipped my hand between the damn bucket and the table again…I always do that…" She stood up straight, going back to cleaning the tables with a wet one.

"Honey, you work too hard." Margaret laughed, going back to work herself. She went behind the counter and smiled at Stew, the cook. "Hey pumpkin, you got my orders up yet?"

Stew nodded, expertly flipping a burger at the same time as placing two steaming plates on the high counter. "Here ya are."

Margaret smiled, her clipped back shining gray hair giving her the toasty grandma aura. She nodded, grabbing the two plates and going to deliver them to the couple seated at one of the window booths.

"It's busy today, aye doll?" Stew called over to Gabriella, who was now behind the counter peeling off her yellow cleaning gloves.

She sent him a trying smile. "Yeah…" She drifted off, watching as her fellow classmates poured into the diner to get the usual meal before the big dance. "Tonight's the costume ball…"

Stew stopped his fast hands, watching sympathetically as the little girl he once knew tried her hardest to be an adult. "Gabs, what about you honey? You're not going?"

She glanced back at the large man who was like her second father. He had a warm brown beard and short buzzed brown hair. "Uh…you know, dances," She started refilling the napkin dispensers. "They uh, they aren't my thing."

Stew watched her skeptically, deciding not to bother her any longer if she didn't feel open to talk about it. He knew how she operated, and when she was closed off, nothing was going to open that door.

"So," Carly came out from the back inventory room, a flustered look on her strong pale features. "We're out of bendy straws and that kid over there is one straw away from a hissy fit." She gestured to the little boy pouting at a table, his exhausted mother sitting beside him.

Gabriella giggled lightly, shaking her head. "He can't settle for a straight straw?"

Carly gave the youngest a pointed look. "Try it and then come talk to me." She dropped onto the stool behind the cash register. "You know the Hulk right?"

Gabriella furrowed her eyebrows, pausing her hold on a stack of napkins. "The big green superhero guy?"

The pretty manager nodded. "That's the guy."

"What about him?"

"Like I said, that kid is one bendy straw away from turning green and losing his tiny tots t-shirt."

Gabriella and Stew shared an amused look before lolling over in laughter.

Margaret shook her head with humor as she practically ran over to the high counter, retrieving her other orders. "Jesus, I'm swamped." Before going back to her table she glanced back at Gabriella. "Honey, Darla and Elsa have full hands as well, do you mind covering that back table for me?" She gestured to the round booth at the far back of the diner, against the window.

The petite brunette, her long curls pulled back in a ponytail, some of her long bangs hanging out messily to frame her face, glanced over her shoulder at the large booth. Her face dropped. "Uh, Marg-"

"Thanks Sweetpea! You're a life savor!"

Gabriella's mouth hung open stupidly as she glanced desperately at the retreating waitress. Her shoulders dropped as she took another look at the eight occupants crammed together in the back booth. It was Vivian Cummings and Troy Bolton in the middle, their friends fanned out around them. She just couldn't catch a break today.

Carly gestured to the booth as well, urging her to get a move on. Shooting her a scowl, Gabriella grabbed her notepad and pen before trudging around the counter and through the many tables. She smiled at her usual customers, who she had known since her mother opened the diner years ago, before her real smile dropped and a meager replacement took its place. "Hey guys," She sighed as all eight pairs of eyes shot to her, three of them sending her daggers as the others just watched her indifferently, Sharpay keeping her eyes down.

"Hey diner girl," Jason said chirpily from the end of the booth across from Sharpay who was on the other end. He didn't really mean it as an insult, but he just didn't really know what else to call her. Chad clenched his eyes shut and looked over Zeke's body in between them to send Jason a what-the-fuck look.

Jason continued to obliviously grin up at Gabriella whose fake nice demeanor dropped off the instant the nickname parted from his lips. Now instead of fake, she looked down right miserable. "What can I get you guys?" She asked dryly.

Jillian, who was seated in between Sharpay and Bethany, raised her manicured finger. "Iced tea, no sugar."

Bethany nodded, her pin straight light brown hair falling over her right shoulder, an orange head band pulling back her bangs. "One for me too."

Vivian, who was seated beside Bethany placed her fingers on the table and sighed. "What can I get that's fat free and has no sugar?"

Gabriella cocked an eyebrow, her shoulders dropping once again. "Wa-ter." She said as if she was speaking to an infant.

Vivian scowled as the guys snickered in their seats, the girls with their mouths agape in shock.

"Wow, you think you're funny don't you?" Jillian scoffed and flicked her red hair over her bony shoulder. Sharpay retracted slightly from the flip and glanced up at her old friend, sending her a numb expression before averting her eyes to the table once again.

Gabriella shook her head.

"You know what, I'll have a water then. _Thank you_." Vivian sent her a pointed look before scoffing as well, turning her body towards Troy's and running her fingers down his chest.

Gabriella shivered involuntarily with disgust, sending Troy a 'why the hell do you put up with that?' look, before turning towards the other boys. "What about you guys? Burgers or…"

Chad was the first to speak. "Yeah, that sounds great. I'll have a bacon cheeseburger, extra pickles." He smiled cheekily, Zeke giving a disgusted face at the latter of the order before chiming in his own order of a chicken sandwich, Jason ordering a king burrito.

Gabriella jotted down the orders before turning to the king of East High. "And…for you?"

He took a second to think before offering her a casual smile, one that any girl would swoon over. However, the unlucky waitress was too irritated to care about his outstanding good looks. "Uh, I'll just have a turkey BLT, thanks Gabriella."

She froze, her pen in mid-stride.

The others at the table all zoned in on Troy who had a confused look on his handsome face. "_What_, did you just call her?" Vivian hissed from beside him.

He tried his best not to roll his eyes. Troy glanced around his friends and shrugged. "Her name. She has a name."

Vivian's green eyes darkened, her two closest followers shaking their heads with disapproval as well at the basketball captain.

"Uh…I'll be right back with your orders." Gabriella mustered up in a quiet voice, her eyes locked on Troy's and asking him silently why the hell he acknowledged that she was actually a human being.

He sighed and leaned back in the booth, staring ahead and drowning out the world around him, getting lost in his own thoughts.

Like he always did whenever he started to feel transparent, fake, as if he were a showpiece, meant to be everyone but himself.

…

Gabriella had delivered the food and drinks to the table professionally and even smiled slightly as Chad catched onto her real name as well, thanking her for his food. The girls continued to act flabbergasted at the act, although Sharpay still acted as if she didn't exist.

"It's a crowd like that which kept me away from college." Carly scoffed, opening up the cash register and ringing up Bob Mayfield, her usual customer with a big belly.

Gabriella shook her head with an amused smile from behind the counter as well, currently refilling the salt and pepper shakers in between manning her classmates who occupied the booth in the back. "Some of them aren't too bad, it's the girls that I could do without."

Carly placed his change in Bob's pudgy fingers. She smiled sweetly as he gave her a toothy grin and a friendly wave. Closing the register she glanced over at the teenagers in the back. "Isn't that Sharpay over there?"

Gabriella smiled sweetly at Bob as well as he left. She followed Carly's gaze and proceeded to roll her eyes. "Yup." Placing the salt bin under the counter she brushed her hands off on her apron. "She's…different, much different."

"I can see that. She still hasn't talked to you huh?"

Gabriella shook her head, placing her elbows on the counter and dropping her heavy head into her hands. "Nope. And I don't expect her to any time soon. I think she's officially on the dark side now."

The manager shook her head and clicked her tongue. "It's a shame."

"Yeah," She sighed. "It really is."

"Well, it looks like they're ready to go," Carly nodded her short hair over her shoulder. "Go on."

Gabriella stood up reluctantly and made her way over to the booth. "Ready for the check, guys?"

Chad nodded. "Yeah, I think so." He glanced between his friends who didn't protest.

"And will that be eight separate or are you paying all together?"

"We're paying all together."

She nodded. "I'll be right back with your check." Gabriella knelt down and collected some of the dirty plates, balancing them expertly onto her strong but slim arms. She made her way back to the counter, swerving through her fellow waitresses who dashed back and forth. Placing the plates in the sink, smiling at Carl, the dishwasher, she hurried over to the receipt machine.

"Are they all done?" Carly asked, scribbling down something on a piece of paper.

The young brunette nodded, waiting for the long white receipt to print from the machine. "Yu-up."

Just as she tore off the slightly long strip, a loud squeal was heard from the back booth. Everyone looked to see what was going on. Vivian seemed angry, her face red with fury.

Gabriella furrowed her eyebrows as Chad placed a hand on Troy's shoulder, pulling him back slowly, all the guys reeling back as if scared of the over dramatic blonde. Vivian said something else before all the girls scooted out of the booth and marched towards the exit.

"What the hell…" Carly muttered from the register.

Gabriella sighed. "I have no idea." She folded the receipt before walking cautiously back to the table, where the guys were all now standing. "Uh…I have your check?"

All the guys simultaneously pulled out their wallets and handed cash to Troy who added it to his own money. "Here," He handed it to Gabriella. "That should cover it."

She nodded slowly. "Thanks." She moved aside as the basketball captain walked by her as well as Chad and Zeke.

"Troy gave you a pretty awesome tip, I will personally say you're welcome from him." Jason grinned stupidly before following his friends.

Gabriella shook her head and counted the cash, ten extra dollars in there which made her smile.

Maybe Troy Bolton wasn't so bad after all.

…

"Are. You. Serious?"

Gabriella looked up from cleaning the counter with a wet rag. "Wow, Ryan, you look…" She placed the back of her arm on her mouth to suppress the laughter. "Let me guess," She giggled. "Magician?"

His face dropped. "How'd you know?"

She laughed, continuing to wipe the counter with the now dirty white cloth. "Just a hunch." She looked up humorously at his black vest and long red velvet cape, his big black top hat giving it away the most, along with the artificial flower in his vest pocket that screamed it spurted water.

"You're not seriously going as a bus girl…_are you?" _He shot her a disapproving look.

She rolled her eyes and turned around, dropping the cloth in the gray bucket. "I'm not going Ryan, I told you this morning at school, Regina has me working tonight."

He rolled his brown eyes. "Oh screw Regina, you have to go, Gabs! I mean, what about lover boy? He's expecting you!"

"Lover boy…?" Carly walked up with a raised eyebrow and an amused glint in her eye. "Who the heck is lover boy?"

Gabriella rolled her deep chocolate orbs. "Nobody."

Ryan scoffed. "Yeah right, he's not nobody." He turned towards Carly. "He's the mystery guy that's been sending Gab emails of _looove_."

Carly's eyes widened and she gave the young brunette a flabbergasted face. "Cyber dude! The one who you met in the Stanford chat room thingy?"

She sighed and shot Ryan an irritated look before turning towards her sister-like figure. "Yes Carls, and he's not sending me emails of," She rolled her head towards her best friend. "_looove_."

He scoffed. "He so is."

Carly nodded in agreement. "Gabs, if you've kept in touch with this guy for all this time, not to mention he seems pretty interested in you, I think you should meet him."

"I can't Carly. Regina said-"

She placed her arms out to stop her. "I will deal with Regina, you need to go to this dance and meet your soul mate."

Gabriella shook her head hastily. "Guys, I can't just go. If Regina found out she would kill me. It's not a good idea."

Ryan leaned over the counter and gave his long time and closest friend a stern glower. "Gabriella, this is the chance you've been waiting for. I see how you smile when you're texting this guy, you can't pass up an opportunity like this."

Carly shot her a stern gaze as well. "He's right Gabs, you have to go tonight."

She shook her head. "Guys, I can't."

The manager of the small diner had had enough. She placed a strong hand on Gabriella's shoulder and spun her around so she could give the beautiful brunette a piece of her mind. Carly reeked authority with her light brown eyes. "Gabriella. I am not taking no as an answer. When was the last time that you did something for yourself for once?"

"Yeah Gabs, you need to go have some fun!" Stew chimed in from behind the stove.

"Gabi, go knock 'em dead!" Margaret called as she picked up a plate from the high counter.

Gabriella watched as her real family all urged her to take a leap. When was the last time she really did anything for herself? She couldn't even remember. And if she didn't go to the dance, she knew she would be standing up BBallJunkie14, the nice guy that she had met months ago, the guy that seemed to get every word that came out of her mouth, even when she didn't understand it herself. He didn't deserve to be stood up, nor did she deserve another night of dirty work when she could be having some fun.

"You know what," She pulled off the apron and tossed it onto the bench beside her. "You guys are right, I do need some me time. And I need to go to this dance."

Carly and Ryan leaped with joy.

"That's what I'm talking about Gabs!"

"You go girl!" Stew called from the back.

"So what are you waiting for?" Carly asked with a large grin. "You don't want to keep him waiting!"

Gabriella nodded, going to pull up the counter latch so she could join Ryan on the other side when…she suddenly froze.

"Guys…" She glanced down at her black shirt and jeans. Sighing, she released the latch and picked up her apron once again. "I can't go…"

Everyone's faces dropped as they stared at her with disbelief.

"What?" Carly walked forward and snatched the apron from Gabriella's hands. "Why?"

She shook her head and gestured towards her attire. "I have no costume guys." She sighed, looking down sadly. "Unless I want to impress him by being a waitress then I don't think going to the dance is in the cards for me right now."

Carly's face dropped and there was a solemn silence for a second.

"Wait…" The pale manager's face slowly erupted into a mischievous smile. "You don't have a costume?"

Gabriella shot her a confused expression before nodding slowly.

Carly grinned. "Yet."

**Please review? Thanks for reading!**


	4. Night To Remember

**A Cinderella Story**

She had only been to Carly's house two times in her whole life. Surprising? Indeed.

Gabriella had grown up around the diner and her large family there, and Carly had always been the one to wipe away the food on her face when her mother was in chemo, or her father was on a business trip. And after Maria died, Carly had been the one beside her father as they watched her cry herself to sleep every night, when a then small little girl wondered where her mother's voice had gone.

Carly was young back then, first getting hired by Maria when she was herself only sixteen years old. Then years later she was a young student at the local college, working part time to pay off her tuition whilst her own father got wasted all night and only came home around the crack of dawn. She could've left then. But she didn't.

She stayed for her father, to help him get back on his feet. When he didn't, when he just ended up drinking himself dead, she had already thrown away her life. But even then she had a family, the Montez's were her family and when Gabriella was orphaned at such a young age, the early twenties, college dropout, orphan as well, took it as her job to look after the young one, knowing that maybe if she did make sure Gabriella grew up stable, then maybe she wouldn't turn out like herself, alone and working in a diner.

"You know, Carles…" Gabriella whispered, sitting on the couch in the quaint living room, looking around at the nicely decorated space. "You have so many little things…yet they're all so…beautiful."

There was no reply from Carly who had disappeared in the hall about five minutes ago.

Her house was quaint and homey, like a home should be. With a picket fence and a lovely flower garden just outside, her single family home was perfect for such a lovely, humble person and Gabriella loved how she felt as soon as she walked inside. The smell, the safety, the ease, it was like she was with her parents again, and everything was the way it should be.

Just then Carly walked in with a large white box, her small frame almost hidden behind it. "Now, before I let you peek inside there's some things you should know…"

Gabriella raised a slim eyebrow, eyeing the large box curiously which was now placed on the cleared coffee table in front of them.

"You remember my engagement to Robert a year ago, right?"

The younger of the two furrowed her eyebrows. "Robert? Yeah, I remember."

Robert was Carly's ex-fiance. She found him making out with one of his groomsmen in the back room during their rehearsal dinner. Yes, grooms_men_. You heard right. That was one part of him that he so kindly kept from her until she walked in with wide eyes and a speechless expression. Let's just say, she wasn't really surprised. He never really did get hard when watching a Victoria's Secret commercial. She saw the signs early on, so wasn't really heartbroken at the fact that her fiancé was into guys, more that her wedding was called off and she wouldn't get to wear the dress that she spent weeks shipping over and getting fit for.

"Well…I told you that I returned the dress…but…"

Gabriella's eyes widened and she glanced between the box and the woman she saw more as an older sister than a mother. "You didn't."

Carly bit her lip and shrugged. "I couldn't Gabs. I was already in love with it."

She sighed and shook her head. "Carls, you told me it cost a fortune and you didn't even wear it. I can't believe you still kept it."

The wise woman grinned widely. "Yes, _buuut_," She suddenly flipped over the cover and opened the box, a gasp emitting from Gabriella's lips. "I knew there was a reason I kept it all these years. It's destiny."

Gabriella gazed down at the sparkly white dress with an open mouth. "I've never seen it…" She muttered more to herself. She never really had seen the dress. The engagement was so random and out of the blue that Carly had already done everything including gotten her dress before Gabriella could even say 'let me help!' "It's…oh my god." She whispered with awe.

The dress was absolutely breathtaking. It was strapless and tight at the top, a corset, while the bottom flowed out beautifully. As if it were glitter, shiny beads adorned the top of the dress and made it look like something out of a fairytale, making it perfect for the ball tonight. "I-I" Gabriella sighed, looking away from the dress. "Carly, I can't wear this…not your wedding dress."

"Gabs, please, stop making damn excuses and let's get ready for your dance tonight. It's already ten, we only have an hour." She pulled the dress out of the box and held it up, glancing over at an awestruck Gabriella.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. A large grin broke out onto Carly's face again as she placed the dress down and jogged towards her front door, a panting Ryan standing on her doorstep.

"Who's car is that?" Carly asked first thing, glancing over his shoulder at the black topless Mercedes.

He glanced over his shoulder as well. "Oh, my dad's car. He let me borrow it for the night."

"Wow."

He nodded. "That car is my life right now. If I so much as scratch it…" He shivered, not wanting to think of the consequences.

Carly flailed her arms. "Forget the car! Did you get it?" She asked excitedly.

Ryan smiled slowly, bringing his hand from behind his back and holding up the gasp-emitting white eye mask.

"Holy…" Carly reached out and took it. The mask was absolutely beautiful. It was white lace and satin, two holes expertly crafted out for the eyes.

"So, did I do good or what?" Ryan leaned against the frame with a cocky smile.

Carly grinned, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You did more than good." She glanced back down at the mask. "It's perfect."

…

She was going to throw up.

"Ryan, please, I-I can't do this…it's not a good idea, I-Regina she could find out, and Fran, Eliza…th-they could recognize me or-"

"Hey Gabs?"

She gulped. "What?"

Ryan smirked. "Shut up."

She narrowed her eyes at him in a glare, raising her hand to adjust the white mask on her face.

"No one's going to recognize you, alright? I didn't even recognize you when you first walked out of Carly's bedroom. Don't worry."

She sighed, hugging the red velvet cape closer to her body. "Ryan," She whispered vulnerably, hugging the cape tighter as two giggling girls walked by them towards the hotels ballroom that held most of East High's student body, including her mystery guy. "I can't do this, okay? I-I'm not someone who does this type of thing. I can't break the rules and go out on a limb, what am I supposed to do? Depend on luck and faith that Regina won't find out, BBallJunkie14 isn't in reality a creepy psycho, and that everything is going to work out?" She scoffed. "Fat chance."

Ryan sighed, rolling his head towards her and placing his hands on her shoulders. "Gabriella. Don't psych yourself out, _please_. Tonight's your night. Just relax and try and have fun." He held out his hand. "Here, let me see your phone."

She furrowed her eyebrows and leaned down to grab her phone off her ankle strap. "What do you need it for?" She asked, handing it to him.

Ryan flipped it open and quickly pressed a couple buttons before handing it back to her. "There, now you're alarm will go off at eleven fourty five, so you'll make it back to the diner just in time. Are we good?"

She sighed, nodding her head and leaning down to place her phone back. Once up straight she glanced over at two guys making their way towards the dance, dressed in matching knight costumes. "We're good." She whispered, staring off into space, biting her glossed lip.

Her makeup was light, more than the nothing that she usually wore. Her cheeks held a small touch of blush and her eyelids had pearly white shadow with electric silver on her top lid line. Her eyelashes looked ten feet long with the smooth mascara adorning them, as her small black liner accentuated her deep chocolate irises.

"Are you ready?" Ryan asked quietly, nodding towards the ballroom doors that led to the large red carpeted stair case.

Gabriella took a deep breath, closing her eyes peacefully. She slowly removed the cape and nodded, giving it to Ryan who grinned.

"You really do look beautiful, Gabs." He said sincerely.

A slow timid smile crept onto her face. He shot her one last grin before gesturing towards the doors and leading the way excitedly.

Gabriella watched his retreating back before clenching her jaw and following slowly, his figure still a few paces in front of her.

It was her night and no one was going to take it away from her.

…

"Troy, what the hell? Stop zoning out!"

He shook out of his daze and looked over at his best friend. Chad was hilarious. He was dressed as a clown none other, with the red nose, face paint, and big shoes. The whole shebang.

"Sorry man, I guess I'm just nervous…"

Chad sighed, patting his best friend on the back. "It's alright man." He quickly back tracked. "Wait, nervous about what?"

Troy opened his mouth stupidly before chuckling nervously. "Oh, uh nothing. Nothing, just nervous about…" He glanced up."Vivian! Yeah, uh just nervous about Vivian. I don't want her to hate me, you know? For breaking up with her at the diner earlier."

Chad perked an eyebrow suspiciously, nodding slowly and not fully believing the fib, for he knew Troy too well to tell when he was lying. "Uh-huh." He said unconvinced.

Just then, before Chad could press the issue further, Zeke and Jason came skipping up to them, their matching salt and pepper outfits making them look humorously stupid on sight. "Wow, Jase, Zeke…" Troy snickered. "You guys look…you look great."

Zeke gave him a pointed look before giving his captain a once over. "Not all of us can pull off the whole prince charming thing."

Troy chuckled, glancing down at his own costume. He had pulled together the best costume that he could think of, and knowing that StanfordSurvivor421 was going to be here and they were hopefully going to meet for the first time…well he knew he had to come as something a little more dashing then a clown or a food condiment. So here he was, pretty confident in his white button up and black and gold jacket, one that his mother had picked up from the local costume store along with the matching prince trousers and boots.

"Yeah man, if you would've told us you were going as prince charming then we would've tried to look less stupid." Jason added, looking over Troy's lady appealing costume with envy. Pretty much every female within range was drooling over the basketball captain, shameless compared to school where they would at least try and make it look nonchalant.

"Sorry guys, I uh, I guess I didn't really think about. It's just something my mom pulled together." He lied, he had been so paranoid about his costume, wanting to look as deserving as any man at the dance. Wanting to show his mystery girl that he could be anything she wanted him to be.

"Shit, look who just walked in." Chad commented, gesturing towards the grand red carpeted staircase.

Troy looked over his dancing peers, squinting in the dark lighting at the four girls who strutted down the stairs in their revealing Barbie costumes. Vivian led the pack, her belly button ring showing as her costume barely covered anything.

"What is she? Malibu Barbie?"

Troy shook his head, not really caring as his eyes left the stairs to skim the crowd around him, though it was hard to see with the flashing lights and loud music.

"Dude, I think she is legit Malibu Barbie…" Chad snickered, observing Vivian's short hula skirt and coconut bra. "I think Bethany's supposed to be retro Barbie or something…" He noted her silver pumps and hippie tye-dye colored tube dress.

Jason licked his lips unconsciously. "I call dibs on Jillian. I'm guessing…" He noted her silver jacket, with bright lime green sports bra, tight silver spandex, and black pumps. "Workout Barbie?"

All the guys except Troy who was still looking through the crowd, trying to catch a glimpse of anyone that might be his mystery girl, laughed hysterically. Chad nodded towards the girls who had come down the stairs and were heading towards the beverage bar. "What the hell Barbie is Sharpay?"

Zeke tilted his head, following the blonde with his eyes. "I think she's just Pink Barbie, if there is such a thing." He watched her pour herself a drink in her large pink hoop earrings and tight pink dress, with matching pink pumps.

Chad chuckled. "I think you're right my man."

Jason laughed before his eyes landed on the top of the stairs and his orbs practically jumped from their sockets. "Who the…"

Chad and Zeke, along with everyone closest to the stairs averted their gaze to the top of the red grand staircase as well.

Troy watched slowly as little by little everyone started to look in the same direction. His blue eyes followed the trail until they landed on the angel that everyone seemed mesmerized with.

Suddenly a white spotlight hit her and she cringed back slightly, squinting her eyes, before shaking it off and looking back in front of her.

Troy followed her body as she hesitated slightly before slowly descending the staircase, her dress floating down the red steps as her tan, olive skin radiated under the light. She pursed her lips and looked everywhere but at the many eyes that gazed at her.

She was absolutely the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen in his life. Squinting his eyes quizzically, he now stared at her distantly, a weird tingle running through his veins, like a silent alarm. And that's when he knew, for some reason, something screamed to him in the back of his head…

It was his mystery girl. He could bet his life on it. It was her because such a beautiful person on the inside had to be just as lovely on the outside. Even if she came dressed as a man he would still know it was her. She gave off this aura about her, a change in the air that swept across his figure like a rush of wind. And even if she was the ugliest creature on the planet, he would still drool as she walked down that staircase. He would still think she was breathtaking, and he would still know that that was the woman that he had been waiting for, to save him. Her beauty was just a bonus, and he sure as hell wasn't going to complain.

"Who the hell is that?" Chad asked with an open mouth.

Jason scoffed. "Screw Jillian, I call that chick."

"Hey," Zeke protested. "You call dibs on everyone!"

Jason shrugged. "I didn't call Sharpay so you shouldn't have a problem."

The darker boy narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?

"I'm just saying…you do get kind of girly and shy when she's around…"

"I do not! Shut the hell up man."

Jason shrugged. "I still call dibs on that chick." He gestured to the beauty who had now joined her friend at the bottom of the stairs.

Zeke scoffed. "You don't get dibs, just because _you think_ I like Sharpay, doesn't mean I don't wanna get in that other chick's pant-"

"Hey!" Troy called, immediately shutting his friends up. When he talked, then no one else did. "Neither of you get dibs, got it?" He brushed past them, muttering as he went. "She's with me."

The three guys stared after him as he disappeared into the crowd.

"What's up with him?" Jason asked, glancing between Chad and Zeke who had the same confused and somewhat curious expression on their faces.

Zeke shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe he knows who she is."

Chad smiled knowingly. "Or maybe, he wants to get to know her."

The two dressed as salt and pepper furrowed their eyebrows at a smirking Chad, following his gaze to the crowd that they had seen their basketball captain go into.

In all the years of being best friends, which was a long time, Chad had never seen Troy take any interest in a girl as more than a quick fuck, no matter how hot she was. Yeah, he had seen his friend date, but never had he seen Troy in an actual committed relationship, never had he known Troy Bolton to be in love, never had he seen his best friend feel sparks.

But, as he watched his captain drool over the goddess who descended the staircase moments before, he had a brotherly hunch, a gut feeling, that Troy knew that girl, and not just that, but the fact that Troy knew her and was looking at her as if she was his world.

Chad smiled, shaking his head and taking a long pull from the spiked punch, whispering encouragingly, "Go get her, Bolton."

…

"Ryan, do I have something on my face…?" She asked insecurely, hugging her arms to her body and glancing awkwardly at the people still staring at her.

"No…" Ryan said. He followed her gaze to the many people and sighed with an amused smile. "Gabs, they're staring because you look like a freaking Princess out of a fairytale, trust me."

She looked at him skeptically before smiling softly. "Okay." She said quietly, sighing the tension away and trying to relax. She was never insecure, she didn't get weak. Considering her unfortunate circumstances growing up, she was built like metal. This night was a lot of firsts for her.

"It's nearly eleven, you should get to the middle of the dance floor." Ryan suggested, gesturing to the crowd of people.

Gabriella nodded, sending him a grateful smile. "Thanks for everything Ry, seriously."

He scoffed modestly. "Oh pish posh, it was nothing, now get a move on."

"I'll meet up with you later? Remember I need to get back by-"

"Midnight. " He finished with a playful eye roll. "Got it."

She giggled and nodded, sharing a grin with him before diving into the crowd and gracefully walking through the mess of wide eyes and curious stares. She ignored everyone as they gazed at her and let out a deep exhale as she stepped into the small gap at the middle of the dance floor. _This is it. _She thought, closing her eyes peacefully and drowning out the loud music.

She was inwardly trembling, having to latch her hands together to ease the shaking. She unconsciously played with the ring on her right middle finger, slipping it on and off, biting her lip as she looked around nonchalantly.

_What if he forgot? Or changed his mind?...Or took one look at me and thought…_Oh god, she was going to drive herself crazy if she continued to analyze the situation.

A guy dressed in a sombrero nodded at her with a sly smirk, making her return it with a plastered tight lipped smile and turn her body so she was facing the DJ stage.

She knew this was too good to be true.

Suddenly someone coughed behind her. "Stan…Stanford Survivor?"

She froze, her eyes going wide as they were accentuated within her mask. Gabriella slowly turned around, holding her breathe with anticipation until she finally came face to face with…

No fucking way. "Troy Bolton?" She spat out with disbelief, her voice becoming a whisper. "You have got to be kidding…"

He gulped nervously at the sting of her reaction, his hands in his pockets as he shuffled his boots. "Uh, yeah…sorry. It took me a while to pluck up the courage to actually come talk to you."

Her mouth was still wide open with shock. No freaking way was Troy Bolton her dream guy, her sensitive geek, her closet therapist. No way.

"You're…you're BBallJunkie?" She stuttered out, needing to hear the confirmation.

He smiled bashfully, catching Gabriella off guard for she had never seen him as the vulnerable type. He was Troy Bolton for gods sake, basketball captain, womanizer…She sighed. Why was her life so complicated?

"Uh, yeah. I hope my costume does me justice, I was looking forward to meeting you tonight." There he was. The confident Troy was starting to come back.

"I, I'm uh, I'm sorry Troy…but this was a mistake, you don't know…" She sighed, lifting her dress and turning towards the crowd. "I have to go."

Troy watched with wide eyes as she weaved through the crowd in a rush. He quickly went after her. "No! Wait, please!" He grabbed her arm and gently turned her around. "Please, Stanford girl, I've been waiting two months to finally meet you and you're..." He licked his dry lips and gazed down at her with pools of blue. "You're beautiful." He took one more step towards her. "You're absolutely breathtaking…perfect."

She quivered under his tall frame and gulped back the lump in her throat. "Troy…you obviously don't know who I am…"

He smirked. "But I do."

She quirked an eyebrow. "You…do?"

He chuckled. "I know who you are…" Looking down for a second he cleared his throat. "You're ambitious and…and brave," His eyes twinkled as he lifted his eyes and stared into her own startled ones. "You haven't had a lot of good luck in your life yet you're the most deserving person I've ever talked to…you," He gulped. "You like alternative music but your weakness is slow songs…you don't have a lot of confidence, but you're sure of who you are, and you don't let others bring you down." He smiled. "You're what I wish I was."

She stared with disbelief and an open mouth at his words. Shaking out of her trance she looked at him hesitantly. "Troy…you can't be the child psychologist that I've been talking to…" She looked down. "You…" Meeting his eyes again she sighed. "You're Troy Bolton, the varsity basketball Captain, most popular guy at school…I'm lost right now."

A slightly pained expression crossed his defined features before it quickly faded away. "Do you remember when I asked you if…" He ran a distressed hand through his brown locks. "If you ever felt like a shadow?"

She furrowed her eyebrows before nodding slowly.

"Well," He shrugged. "Then you get it. I'm Troy Bolton, yeah…but," A sincerely sad look appeared on his face, Gabriella's heart aching at the sight. "That's far from who I want to be."

She stared at his handsome face for a while, reading his deep eyes that held meaning and secrets, noting the almost unrecognizable dimples that crossed his jaw whenever he twitched uncomfortably.

"Please…" He whispered for only her ears. "Just give me a chance."

Taking a moment to just read his pleading face, she sighed and sent him a weak smile, still not sure about what she was doing. "Okay." She said almost inaudibly with the loud music that both teenagers drowned out a while ago.

A slow smile crept onto his face and he gestured towards the side doors. "Let's get out of here."

She smiled warily before sighing away her worry and taking his awaiting hand. She twitched slightly at the heat and sparks that ran up her fingers at his warm touch, not noticing the same look of surprise that crossed his own features.

He quickly tugged her small hand in his, weaving the way through small groups of people to the two large double doors on the side of the ballroom. He sent her a charming smile before pushing open the doors and pulling her inside the moonlit large room with him.

Closing the door behind him he looked around the high ceilings and vast dance floor, much like the ballrooms. He glanced at the large windows that covered one whole wall of the room, the moons light illuminating the wood floors and large chandelier that hung from the high ceiling.

"This must be another ballroom or something…" He observed out loud, feeling suddenly uneasy at the absence of her touch now that their hands had separated.

She nodded, looking around as well, the music from the adjacent room still blaring through the walls and loud enough for them to hear, although not as well, but clear enough. "Yeah…it must be an extra room…it's smaller though…"

He nodded with agreement, now finding her moonlit appearance far more eye catching.

She turned towards him and a blush crept onto her cheeks as she caught him staring. "What?"

He shrugged with a playful smirk on his face, his hands in his pockets casually. "Nothing, I just can't get over how beautiful you are."

She giggled lightly at the comment, not catching when a large smile crossed his face at the sound of her laugh. "Wow," She shook her head. "No wonder the whole female population at our school would die for you."

He chuckled. "Well, I'm not going to lie." He smirked cockily. "I am praised for my way with words."

She giggled again, the sound unforgettable to him. "I've heard."

They shared amused smiles as their eyes continued to shoot fireworks at each other. "So…" He began slowly. "How is it that I've never noticed you at school?" A now thoughtful look adorned his face. "I'm sure I would've known if someone as breathtaking as you was at some point only a classroom away."

She smiled softly at the compliment. "Well…" She looked off into the distance with an insightful expression to match his own. " Maybe you were looking…" She glanced at him. "But you weren't seeing."

He nodded slowly. "And we've never met before?"

She contemplated her answer. "Well…I wouldn't use those words, but I guess, yeah. We've never really met, as in you never really noticed me."

He watched her skeptically, trying to read between her words. "So we've…talked in person before?"

She simply nodded.

This shocked him. He didn't know how it was possible. "How could I have not known that you were right there, so close, yet so far away…"

She shrugged and looked down timidly. "You're social group doesn't really hang out with mine."

He frowned. "That's no excuse…" He felt instant sparks the moment they had touched, the moment he had looked deep into her eyes. And he couldn't even recognize her at school? This not only confused him, but it angered him. This rare woman, the one person that truly gets him, that listened, she was so close to having, to holding…and he didn't even know it.

"Who are you?" He whispered softly, coming closer and lifting his hand towards her face.

She stared at his curious eyes, ready for him to pull off her mask and stumble back with shock and disgust. She suddenly cringed back and ducked her head, away from his grasp.

He looked at her with confusion. "Are you okay?"

She sighed and looked up with sad eyes. "Troy, I'm not who you're expecting. I'm…" She lowered her eyes. "I'm nobody."

A deep frown appeared on his face as he again moved towards her, shaking his head. "Nobody's a nobody. Especially you." He placed his finger beneath her chin to lift her head. "I could care less who you're friends with, what your status at East High is…all I care about is you."

Her heart ached at his sincerity, but something inside of her, the insecure side was still hesitant. She sighed and looked towards the large windows.

He slowly lowered his hand, knowing that he had to earn the knowledge of who she really was. "Alright," He smiled playfully. "You wanna play twenty questions?"

She instantly lightened up. "Twenty questions?" She smiled with amusement as he nodded. "Okay."

"Let's see…" He placed his finger on his chin in thought. "What do you see yourself doing in twenty years?"

She took a second to think before smiling. "I guess I see myself as a doctor, and with a family."

He smiled at her answer. "How many kids do you want?"

"Hmm…two?"

"Only two! Come on!"

She giggled. "Hey, you're not the one who has to pop them out!"

He cringed as she laughed at his facial expression. "You're right, next question." He jumped as a question popped into his head. "Would you rather have a pizza or a salad?"

"Pftt, what kind of a question is that? Who would want a salad over pizza?"

He chuckled. "Hey, I had to check. I like a girl with a good appetite."

She shook her head. "Next question."

"Hmm…" He suddenly stopped to stare at her, a still humored look on his face though it was mixed with seriousness. "Were you disappointed when you found out that I was…well, me?"

She smiled warmly. "Not disappointed, more surprised."

He smiled with relief. "Do you regret meeting me here tonight?"

"Nope."

More relief swept over his face as he nodded. Suddenly, catching his attention, a slow song crept under the cracks of the doors and through the walls, coming from the dance just in the other room. He looked at the beauty beside him, only inches away. He smiled hopefully, his blue pools sparkling as he held out his hand. "Can I have this dance?"

She glanced down at his hand before smiling up at him timidly. She placed her small hand in his large one, the fitting perfect, as she allowed him to place his other hand on her waist.

"You know…I should warn you now," She placed her other hand on his shoulder. "I'm not the best dancer."

He chuckled. "It's okay. My mom taught me how to dance, I got you."

She bit her lip and nodded, allowing him to lead as she slowly got closer to him, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. "You still have some questions left…" She whispered, her voice quiet with exhaustion and peace.

Troy smiled and thought for a second before whispering in her hair, his voice husky and low. "What's your most important wish?...The one thing that you want to do before you die?"

She continued to rest against him, her face hidden in his neck, his scent intoxicating, making her feel as if they were in their own world where no one could disturb them. Her answer to his question was almost unheard, but his ears instantly picked it up. "I want to fall in love." She whispered back softly, her arms now looped around his neck as his own arms hugged her waist loosely. He smiled against her hair, his head resting against her own.

He responded by smirking happily and twirling her around, causing a cute giggle to erupt from her lips. He pulled her back towards his chest and smiled down at her.

Gabriella returned the smile and gave him a playful look. "Wow, superstar Bolton has moves _off_ the court as well."

He raised one of his perfectly shaped eyebrows. "Oh, yeah?"

She nodded. "Mhm."

Troy shrugged and caught her off guard as he quickly spun her around once more before dipping her body under his. His strong arms held her petite frame from falling to the ground. "You haven't seen anything yet."

She shook her head as he slowly pulled her back up. "You just keep surprising me." Gabriella said softly, her pelvis attached to his own as she gazed up and into his ocean blues.

He smiled sincerely. "I'm glad."

They continued to gaze at each other, trying to decipher what lay beneath. Gabriella was still trying to figure out who the real Troy Bolton was, and who this man in front of her was, the man that was slowly capturing her heart.

"You're different than anyone I've ever met." Troy whispered in a daze, getting lost in her deep eyes.

"You have no idea…" She replied in an equally soft voice, not realizing how her face was only centimeters away from his own.

Slowly her face got closer to his and Troy unconsciously licked his lips, not daring to break eye contact. His mystery girl, the one that he had been waiting for, the one that he felt connected with far more than anyone he had ever met was right here in front of him. She was like a dream, like a wish that would slip away if he so much as breathed.

As her lips got closer to his, he made a mental note of her beautiful eyes. The eyes that he would forever get lost in. Glancing down at her glossy kissable lips, his heart started beating uncontrollably. Get it together, he told himself. He was Troy Bolton, he had kissed tons of girls before and here he was getting weak knees with the one girl that mattered.

Taking a deep inhale of air, he closed the space between them, capturing her lips with his own in an earth shattering connection. He tightened his grasp around her slim waist, taking in as much of her as possible.

Gabriella was oblivious to the world around her as his perfect lips touched her own and he swept her mind away feverishly. She hugged his neck and clenched her eyes shut with want.

The kiss was passionate. It took the two young lovers away from reality, away from the world around them. Although they had just met, it was as if they had known each other for years, for their whole lives. It was as if kissing your soul mate for the first time. You felt like you were floating on a cloud, like your whole life before this one kiss didn't matter for it was nothing compared. It was like the fourth of July, fireworks coursing through your veins, heat radiating off the skin.

And then her alarm went off.

Gabriella reluctantly pulled away, her eyes wide as she glanced down at the loud cellular device strapped to her ankle. "Shit!" She hissed, leaning down to silence it and stop the vibration against her leg. She gave one longing look to her prince before making a mad dash towards the doors.

"What…wait!" Troy grabbed her arm before she could get through the doors. "Please, I-where are you going?"

She sighed. "I'm late. I have to go, I'm sorry."

His eyes swam with disappointment. "Late for what?"

Shaking her head she made her way through the doors and towards the crowd, turning her head back around to look at him once more. "I'm late for the real world." She looked down. "And that's never going to change."

Ducking into the crowd, she disappeared within the students of East High. A dumbfounded Troy just stared at the empty space where she had been standing just seconds before.

"No, fuck," He shook out of his trance and pushed into the crowd as well, following the direction that she had gone in. "Please!" He called to no one, for she had vanished. Stopping just below the staircase, he looked up the steps at nothing, a painful look on his face. "I didn't even get your name…" He whispered desperately.

He sighed heavily and clenched his jaw.

There were three things that Troy was ultimately sure of as the clock struck 12 later that night:

One: He was confused. He had fallen vulnerable for a name, a screen name that had no identity yet as soon as he laid eyes on the real her, his world came crashing down and all that was left was her. She was everything.

Two: He was complete. Finally he had found that one person that was meant just for him. His one soul mate that the world knew was perfect for him.

And third…

This girl was going to be the death of him, and Troy would have it no other way. He would find this girl, and he would make her his. He would find her, if it was the last thing he ever did.

**EEEEP. Please tell me what you think! Was it too rushed? Was it perfect? Yikesabee. I think this was the most important chapter and I'm so nervous as to how I did. Feedback would be greatly appreciated!**


	5. Wait, What?

A Cinderella Story

"So, what did your dad say when you got home with his, still, shiny undamaged car?"

Ryan chuckled, brushing his shoulder off animatedly. "Welllll," He smirked. "You should've seen his face Gabi, it was priceless. I think he really thought I was going to crash it or something."

Gabriella giggled, shaking her head. "I would think the same thing given your track record."

"Hey!" He mocked hurt. "Both times weren't my fault, as I've tried telling you many times."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Ry."

"Anyway," Ryan sighed. "At least now he knows I can handle the responsibility again, maybe he'll get me another car, you never know."

"You _really_ think he'll let you get another car?"

He nodded. "Like I said Gab, you should've seen his face when I got home and he saw the car. He was impressed."

"Huh," She smiled. "Well I guess it would be nice if I didn't have to drive you everywhere anymore."

"See," He said, nudging her hip. "Now you're getting it."

They both laughed as they walked into the doors of East High, the usual loud atmosphere hitting them instantly. "So," Ryan leaned down to whisper in the brunette's ear as they walked towards their lockers. "Are you ever going to tell Romeo who his Juliet is?"

Gabriella bit her lip nervously, looking around at the many students around them who didn't give her the time of day. "Ryan," She sighed. "I told you already, he's better off not knowing…as soon as he figures out that I'm Diner Girl, there goes the fantasy that I'm actually someone that's worth it."

He whined beside her as she went to open her locker. "Bullshit!" He leaned against the locker beside her. "You can't just not tell him! You guys had a connection and you're just going to pretend Friday didn't even happen?"

Sighing, she placed her Calculus textbook on the top shelf of her locker. "Yeah, I guess so."

"How do you even know he won't like you?" He shook his head. "I swear, you have the self confidence of an ant."

She shut her locker after retrieving her English notebook. "He's Troy Bolton, alright? I'm just Geeky Gabriella." Turning around she made her way towards their first class of the day, Ryan still walking beside her.

"You know, you're the only one who still uses that name for yourself."

"Oh right, I forgot Geeky Gabriella was upgraded to Diner Girl, I'll stick to the new name if it makes you happy." Gabriella rolled her eyes, sarcasm dripping from her words.

He rolled his eyes as well. "Oh stop being so melodramatic! Just tell the poor guy! He's probably killing himself trying to find you."

She looked down at her sneakers, her voice a low whisper. "He probably forgot about me the moment I left…"

Ryan, not hearing her comment scoffed with annoyance. "Look, we have first period with him. If you don't tell him I will personally kill you."

She sighed.

"Good." He nudged her towards the classroom. "He'll love you, don't' worry, and I don't want you walking out of that room until you spill the beans because that's the only class you have with him."

She glanced inside the English classroom nervously, thankful that Troy wasn't in his seat yet. "Ryan…" She breathed unsurely. "It's not a good idea, I can't tell him. Not now, not here."

"Oh please, now is the perfect time, let's go."

Ryan led the way into the classroom and took his seat in the middle, Gabriella keeping her head down as she made her way to her seat in the back.

Ryan looked back at her and gave her a reassuring smile, only getting an eye roll in response.

She watched Troy's seat, her eyes peaking from under her cap and narrowing quizzically when the final bell rung and his seat in the front was still empty.

She shared a confused look with Ryan before the announcements came on and the class was silenced by their English teacher. After the pledge of allegiance and the moment of silence Principal Matsui came on and said a few things, club meetings, lunch special, etc.

Then Gabriella's eyes literally bugged out of their sockets.

"_You all know him…Troy Bolton is here and would like to say a few things, Troy…" _

There was a shuffling before a cough was heard and a second of hesitance was heard from the speakers on the ceiling.

"_Uh, hey guys…it's Troy…" _

As his husky tone was heard over the loud speaker, the girls in the room gushed at the sound of his voice.

"_So," _He said with the confidence he carried around with him that made the school fall at their knees._ "Who's coming to the game this Friday? It's the season championships, seven sharp." _

The whole classroom roared with cheers and excitement. Basketball was big at East High and this upcoming game was the last of the season, predicted to be a huge blow out.

"_Uhm I guess I just wanted to say one more thing…as you all know I met a girl at the dance on Friday. Cinderella." _

Gabriella nearly fainted at the sudden topic change. He was not doing this right now.

It was true, everyone did know that Troy Bolton was infatuated with the beauty that appeared at the dance on Friday, and no one except for two people knew who she was.

"_I really hope you're listening right now, because I just need to know who you are…" _

Everyone in the room was silent, confusion and jealousy written on their faces except for Ryan who had a large grin and Gabriella who had now slumped down in her seat with a horrified expression on her face.

"_Please, if you're there, just tell me who you are…come and talk to me…reply to my messages, anything..." _

Gabriella winced quietly. Her computer and phone had been going off all weekend and she cringed at every beep or ding, not having the courage to look at the ignored messages.

"_And if anyone knows who she is…just contact me, Troy Bolton, please." _There was a quiet moment before he sighed. _"I guess that's it." _

The class erupted into chatter as the loud speaker went off momentarily but then Principal Matsui's voice came on again, but was ignored for everyone was now gossiping about who Troy Bolton's mystery girl was.

Gabriella clenched her eyes shut under her cap and placed her face in her hands. She opened her eyes and shook her head. "Oh, Christ."

…

"Dude, I cannot believe you just did that." Chad said, slapping his best friend on the back as they walked down the empty hall.

Troy shook his head, running a distressed hand through his hair. "I can't believe I just did that either." He sighed and shot a worried look to his friend. "What if she still doesn't want to talk to me? I don't know man…" He stopped at his locker, hitting it casually and having it fling open. "It's like she doesn't want me to find her."

Chad sighed beside him. "Maybe she really doesn't. I mean…you are kind of intimidating man."

He grabbed his English notebook before shutting his locker and making his way towards his class, Chad walking beside him. "I just wish she would tell me who she is. I don't care if she's not a cheerleader, I could care less. I can't sleep…I can't…I can't freaking do anything right cause I'm so damn obsessed."

"I'm sorry dude…just give her some time, she'll come around." He nudged his Captain. "You'll eventually find out who she is, I'm pretty sure of it."

Troy nodded at the reassuring words and smiled. "Thanks man."

Chad nodded. "No problem, I'll see you later. Armani's going to kick my nuts for being late again."

Troy chuckled. "You didn't have to come with me, seriously dude."

He shrugged with a goofy grin. "I skip all the time, missing the first five minutes of class to back up my brother isn't going to do anything to my perfect attendance."

Troy shook his head and smirked. "Later man."

"Later!"

He turned around and made his way towards his English class, his mind swirling with stress and anxiety, wondering which of the many classes of East High his beauty was sitting in right at this very moment.

Making his way into his first period Literature class, everyone turned to stare, making his cheeks burn before a cocky smirk replaced the sheepish look. "Sorry I'm late." He smiled charmingly at the teacher before taking his seat in the front.

Gabriella drilled holes into the back of his head, silently asking him why someone who looked like that, who could give off such a confident aura…could possibly be pining for a girl like her.

…

She clicked her pen consistently, boredom written on her clean features as she stared absentmindedly at the air in front of her.

She had substituted her cap for a messy ponytail and sat on one of the swivel chairs around the long wooden table with everything but the current student council meeting occupying her mind.

Suddenly she was pulled out of her thoughts as her name was called.

"Huh-what?" She answered, sitting up straight and holding the edge of the round table to stop her chair from swiveling. Under Taylor's expectant glare she bit her lip. "Sorry, what was that?"

The President of the SCC sighed with exasperation. "We were just talking about ideas for the fair on Friday…the one before the big game."

Gabriella nodded slowly. "And…"

Taylor rolled her eyes. "I was asking your opinion on one of my ideas, but clearly you were too lost in la-la land to pay attention."

She sighed, exhaustion sweeping over her slim frame like a harsh wind. "I'm sorry, Tay." Giving a forced smile she pretended to care. "What was your idea?"

"Well," The darker girl grinned. "I suggested we hold a kissing booth, I think it would be a fun way of raising some money and I'm sure it would be more appealing to the student body."

Gabriella shrugged, glancing around at her fellow committee members. "Yeah, that sounds like a great idea."

"Great!" Taylor giggled. "Then Gabs, you'll be switching off with Cynthia at the booth, we'll start making arrangements right away."

Gabriella nodded and sat back against her seat. _Wait, hold up…what?_

"Alright, so Ethan," Taylor said nonchalantly as if not just informing Gabriella of her death. "I was thinking for the arrangement of booths we could organize them in the sense of category, maybe make the duck fishing go near the clown shooting-"

"Wait, Taylor…" Gabriella said with wide eyes, placing her hand out to interrupt. "I don't know if I heard you wrong but I thought you just suggested that_ I_ man the kissing booth?"

The black girl gave her a casual shrug. "I didn't suggest it, I told you."

"Wha-huh? You didn't even ask if I would be okay with it!"

"I kind of did…you weren't paying attention when I suggested it, and you said it was great idea so I just assumed…"

"No, Taylor, don't just assume." Gabriella scoffed uncomfortably. "You don't think…I can't possibly-no way in hell-"

"Gabriella, everyone else has other duties. We need one other person to take turns with Cynthia."

"Actually," Cynthia, the girls swim Captain cut in, her makeup overdosed face and low cut shirt showing just how willing she really was. "I'd be more than happy to take care of the kissing booth by myself."

"There you go! Cynthia's fine without me, moving on-"

"No can do." Taylor's mind was set. "She can't do it all by herself, you have to take shifts. It's done Gabs, there aren't any other jobs for you to do."

"But Tay-"

"Moving on, now about those booths…"

Gabriella seethed from her seat, her mouth still wide with argument. She would bet anything that Taylor was just trying to get her back for not coming to the dance, or so she thought she had not come to the dance. Huh, oh how wrong she was.

Gabriella quickly glanced over her fellow committee members, trying to find some back up. She locked eyes with a smirking Chace, shooting him her best attempt at an SOS. He just shrugged, a humorous smile on his face. She would get him for that later.

Her? At a kissing booth? This couldn't end well, it just couldn't. I mean, who had she kissed in the past…huh, there was Frankie Demascus in the 8th grade…Richard Gooney freshman year…Troy Bolton only a couple days ago. Gabriella gulped.

She had kissed Troy Bolton. Sighing with defeat, she slumped back in her chair. I guess that meant she was ready for anything.

…

Eliza and Fran Hortie were exceptionally obnoxious. They could manipulate almost anyone with a pea sized brain to do whatever they wanted, for they had cackling laughs to match their mothers, and all the money in the world that wasn't even theirs to own. Yes, they were real winners.

"You're a real idiot, you know that."

"Oh shut up," Fran scoffed. "I was born first, elder wins!"

Eliza copied her sister, her pudgy hand coming to rest on her hip. "Sooner or later that excuse isn't going to work anymore, dumb fu-"

"_Girls_," Regina huffed. "Just keep practicing, alright? Enough with the bawking."

As the girls went back to practice their baton twirling the skinny bald man standing to the side with a sour pout and a plea for help written in his eyes simply watched with a blank stare.

"Oh Jose," Regina cackled animatedly, going back to reading her magazine. "Aren't my girls just too talented?"

The instructor known as Jose let out a forced smile. "Oh yes, definitely." Sarcasm leaked from his lips though it went unnoticed by the botoxed woman.

"Oh Gabriella! There you are!" Regina cried out, putting her magazine down and reaching for her sushi on a platter.

Gabriella let out a tired sigh. "Mild, no meat, just how you like it." She handed the tray of sushi to her stepmother and watched as she examined it snootily.

"Hm, it seems good enough." She glanced up at her stepdaughter. "Thank you."

She nodded. "No problem." Gesturing towards the house, for they were currently in the backyard, she smiled hopefully. "I have a bunch of homework to do, so I was hoping to go start on that."

Regina shrugged. "Whatever.

Gabriella didn't waste any time turning around to retreat, rolling her eyes as Fran and Eliza yelled out reminders of the homework assignments that they also had due that she was to finish for them.

As soon as she trudged into the house and up two flights of stairs, logged onto her computer and got prepared to work, Eliza came barging into her room. "Hey hoe, I need that paper for History, it was due today but you forgot to give it to me, thanks for that."

Gabriella sighed. "Eliza, I told you it was on the kitchen counter downstairs."

The stout girl just stared blankly, expecting her stepsister to offer to get it for her. "Well, you don't think I'm going to get it now after walking all the way up here, do you?"

With gritted teeth, Gabriella nodded. "Okay, I'll be right back." She got up from her computer chair and brushed past her shorter non-blood related sister, making her way down the creaky stairs down to the kitchen. As soon as she left, forgetting to log off her computer, there was a ding from her email account, a new message popping up onto her screen.

Eliza cocked an eyebrow, peering at the blinking message box, a slow smirk creeping its way onto her lips.

**FILLER. Lol, sorry guys, I just wanted to add in this chapter before getting to the big stuff. Please review, tell me how I did? Suggestions? PLEASE. I really like criticism, especially if I should add something, or change something, or anything! xooxoxo**


	6. Woeful Regret

A Cinderella Story

Gabriella leaned against the counter with a concentrated look on her face. She bit on her pencil unconsciously as she stared down at her calculus homework.

"Hey, honey, what time is that fair of yours?"

She lifted her head to look at Carly who had just walked behind the counter. "Uh, it's at five, so in an hour."

Carly nodded, dinging open the cash register to drop in some cash that she had received from one of their customers earlier. "Excited?"

Gabriella rolled her eyes, scribbling down one last equation into her notebook before shutting it and placing it on top of her back pack on the floor. "No." She said dryly, sighing with agitation.

The young manager laughed, shaking her head. "You need to learn how to have fun, and how to _want_ to have fun. I swear sweetheart, you work too hard." She gestured down to the backpack on the floor. "I mean, you came straight here after school and instead of going home to do homework you do it here. You shouldn't have to do that."

The young brunette pulled her hair into a low messy bun. "Yeah, well, I don't have a choice. Regina made it clear that if I'm not at school, I'm here."

"Screw her."

She giggled with a nod. "Amen."

"Oh, a customer…" Carly grinned. "A cute customer…"

Gabriella looked up at the door with a humored smile before it quickly faded away into a horrified look of shock. "Oh shit…" She ducked under the counter and bit her lip, quickly going to crawl through the kitchen door, Stew giving her a questioning look.

"Hon, I know you like to clean the floors, but don't you think you should use a mop or something?"

She ignored his comment, her mind reeling at a million miles a minute. _Why was he here? Did he figure out who she was? Or he could just be coming in for something to eat before the game, I mean seriously, everyone comes here, don't just assume…_

"Okay, what the hell was that?" Carly placed a hand on her hip, the kitchen door swinging to a close behind her.

She gulped. "Huh?"

"Why did you just retreat like a soldier on a bomb squad?"

"Wh-what? I wasn't…I saw something on the floor…and-"

"Bullshit." Carly accused, her yellow outfit making her seem sweeter than she was acting right now.

"Uh…"

"Gabriella Anne, I swear if you don't explain yourself I will go out there and ask that boy myself why you ducked out when you saw him."

"…You wouldn't."

Carly cocked her eyebrow, a challenging look on her face as she spun around and pushed through the swinging kitchen door.

Gabriella's eyes widened and she bolted after her, grabbing her yellow apron and pulling her back inside the kitchen where Stew continued to watch the scene with furrowed eyebrows.

"Okay, okay," She breathed nervously, her voice quieter than usual. "That..that guy that just came in…that's _the_ guy…"

Carly just watched her with confusion before it dawned on her, her brown eyes widening with realization. "That's…?"

She nodded.

"He's…?"

"Yup."

"…Prince Charming?"

"Mhm."

"Oh shit." Carly just stared for a second before a large grin broke out onto her fair features and she embraced Gabriella in a tight squeeze.

"Carly…?"

"Oh my gosh! Gabs!" She pulled back with an excited look on her face. "Damn girl, you really pick 'em!"

Gabriella just shook her head with a humored smile.

"He's…" Carly breathed. "Well he's just gorgeous." She giggled like a school girl. "Holy mother…mm mmm mmmm."

"Carly, please, just don't make a scene…" She glanced at the door as if she could see him sitting at the booth.

The manager jumped. "Shit, that's right I forgot to go serve him!" She quickly went to spin around.

Gabriella grabbed her arm. "Carly, calm down first, okay? You can't go out there and act all giddy, he'll get freaked out and you'll get so nervous that you'll end up spilling my secret."

Carly instantly frowned. "You haven't told him yet?"

She shrugged slowly. "Not exactly…"

"Gabriella!"

"Jesus Carly, be quiet!"

"Sorry, sorry…" She glanced back at the door as well before zeroing in on Gabriella who cringed back at the stern gaze. "You have to tell him Gabs, or else…or else, all hell will break loose!"

She rolled her deep brown eyes. "Don't be so melodramatic, Car."

"I'm serious! I can't believe you haven't told him yet…he's so damn cute! How could you not want him to know who you are?"

Gabriella gave her a pointed look. "How could I _want_ him to know who I am?"

Carly sighed.

"He'll run the first chance he gets. I-I just can't handle that…"

"But Gabs-"

"No Carly," She sighed, hugging her arms. "There's no point…even if he did like me, we'll be going our separate ways in a couple months anyway…" She shook her head, dazing off with a painful expression on her face. "There's no point starting something when it'll just inevitably end in the long run."

Carly's stern look softened as she placed an arm around her daughter-like figure. Although Gabriella seemed to see them more as sisters, Carly would always look at her as if she were her own daughter, someone that she wished to take care of. She hugged her carefully, allowing Gabriella to place her cheek on her shoulder and sigh with mixed emotions.

"I don't know what to do Carly…"

She pulled back, her hands on Gabriella's shoulders as she looked down at her with wisdom. "Gabs…I've known you since you were a little girl, I know how you work, how you don't allow yourself to believe in happily ever afters," She smiled encouragingly as the young brunette just looked down. "You have to follow your heart…let the wind carry you, and hope to god that you end up in the arms of the one you love." She lifted Gabriella's chin with one of her chapped, hardworking hands. "You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first."

Gabriella looked up at the wiser woman and smiled weakly, her eyes watering at the quote that her father used to say. "Thanks Carly."

"I think you should take this one." She reached inside of her apron to retrieve a notepad and pen, placing it in Gabriella's own pink apron. "You don't have to go for a homerun, but at least go for first." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Just go and talk to him."

Gabriella nodded and contemplated what was said for a while. Sighing away her weakness, she brushed past Carly. She took a slow deep breath before pushing through the swinging door and having her breath stripped from her yet again as she found him sitting at the bar, his elbows on the counter as he fiddled with a small menu.

She peered at Troy curiously as he seemed to be gazing at it unconsciously, not really reading it but more like thinking about something entirely different.

"Uh…hey," She said softly, catching his attention. He lifted his head abruptly and took a second to recognize her before a small smile appeared on his face. "Sorry for the wait…can I get you something?"

"Oh, it's no problem…I wasn't really paying attention either." He sighed. "A coffee would be great."

She nodded, a small smile on her face as well as she leaned down to retrieve a mug. She placed it in front of him before grabbing the hot coffee from behind her and pouring it slowly. Gabriella furrowed her brow at his pursed lips and agitated look as he stared at the mug in front of him, clearly something on his mind. "Are you okay?" She asked hesitantly.

Troy shook out of his trance and glanced up at her, quickly shaking his head and reaching out to grasp the mug. "I-it's nothing."

She nodded slowly. "Oh-kay."

He brought the mug to his perfect lips and took a small sip. After placing the mug back on the counter he grabbed a sugar packet from the dispenser. "So, it's Gabriella, right?"

She gulped with a slow nod of her head. "Yeah."

He poured the sugar slowly into his coffee before stirring it slowly with a small plastic rod. She waited for him to say something else but frowned when he didn't.

"Okay, well…" She gestured to the kitchen door. "I'm just gonna-"

"Do you ever feel you're not in control of your own life?" He asked suddenly, stopping her in her tracks. "Like you're being played by someone else in a game against your will?"

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Yes, actually."

He sighed, obviously stressed about something. "Like you're never in control, and when you try and be you're just screwed over and back at the beginning…"

Gabriella watched him with curious hesitance. "Like you can't play by your own rules, because someone's already set the limits for you."

He looked up with surprise, his lips twitching with a smile. "Yeah, exactly…"

A slow smile crept onto her face as well. "You know you're going to lose so you just want to stop playing all together, but you just can't…"

His smile grew, his blue eyes shining with happiness that someone understood him. "That's exactly how I feel."

She gazed back at him, her own eyes connected with his in a synced stare. "Trust me, I know how you feel."

Troy chuckled. "Thank god, I thought I was the only fucked up one on the whole damned planet…" He tilted his head and gestured towards her. "Got issues of your own?"

Gabriella giggled, shaking her head and not noticing as he flinched and narrowed his eyes at the sound. "You have no idea." She looked up and furrowed her eyebrows as she found him peering at her curiously. "Uh…is something wrong?"

He continued to stare at her intently. "Your eyes…" He mumbled distantly. "And…and your laugh…"

Her eyes widened at the insinuation. She quickly looked away from him, raising her hand to scratch the back of her head nervously.

"Do I…have we met before…like I don't know," He chuckled nervously. "You seem familiar for some reason, and I know we've gone to school together for a while, but for some reason I…I can't help but feel like I know you from somewhere else."

She shook her head quickly. "No, uh, we don't know each other from anywhere else."

He continued to stare at Gabriella intently. Troy knew he recognized those distinct features, they were molded into his mind. But with the stress from his dad recently, from the basketball game later today and everything in between, he didn't have clear enough a head to put the pieces together. "Well," He smiled sincerely at her as she was gazing up at him cautiously through her thick eyelashes. "You're one of the few people that seem to get me, and I thank you for that.

She smiled sofly with a shrug. "No one's perfect."

He dug in his pocket to retrieve a five dollar bill, placing it on the counter. Standing up, he winked at her, making her involuntarily weak at the knees. "I'll see you later, Gabriella."

She watched his retreating back with a look of wonder on her face. "You're perfect," She whispered to no one as he disappeared through the door. "You just don't know it."

Feeling airy and light, confused and curious, hopeful and hesitant, Gabriella smiled sadly to herself. She knew making herself vulnerable to him could lead to heartbreaking consequences, but right now she brushed those fears away. Troy Bolton didn't have any idea that she was slowly falling for him.

…

Along with the animated noises from the rides around them and the gigglish laughter of little children, the blaring music coming from the large DJ stage in the center of the field floated in the air around them, making the fair all the more lively.

But Gabriella was anything but happy.

She sat on the wooden counter inside the booth, her legs swinging beneath her as she watched Cynthia kiss guy after guy. She was dreading when Taylor would finally notice that she hadn't gone up yet, for she knew the head strong committee President would demand her participation.

Cynthia had no problem taking over the booth, she hadn't complained once, except for the occasional groan when some unfortunate looking guy came to the booth and she had to smile fakely and give him a quick peck, gagging to herself after they were out of sight.

When Cynthia finished with her next batch of guys she sighed and turned around, going to lean on the counter beside Gabriella and chug down some water. "I swear, I'm getting some good looking ones, but if Troy Bolton doesn't come to the booth fast I think I'm going to scream."

Gabriella's heart pitter pattered rapidly at the mention of his name and she couldn't help but narrow her eyes with jealous possession at the star swimmer. "I'm sure he'll show up soon," She said through gritted teeth. "I mean he is the basketball Captain." Honestly, she was praying that he didn't come to the booth for she couldn't handle watching Cynthia smother him.

"Oooo! Fresh meat!" Cynthia giggled, putting down her water and scurrying over to counter. "Hi there." She said flirtatiously at the some-what good looking guy who smirked at her from the other side of the counter. He placed his dollar on the booth and leaned in for his kiss.

Gabriella looked away with a roll of her eyes as they kissed briefly and Cynthia thanked him and waved.

"What the hell?"

Gabriella cringed at the sound of the voice.

"Oh, hey Taylor." Cynthia waved as Taylor walked up to the counter, eyeing Gabriella in the back. "What are you doing Gabriella? Don't tell me you haven't gone up for your turn yet!"

The brunette opened her mouth to say something before plastering on a sheepish smile. "I was getting to it?"

Taylor huffed. "Gabs, the fair started an hour ago, Cynthia can't kiss all the guys. She'll get overworked for crying out loud."

Cynthia held out a hand to protest. "_Actually_," She laughed. "I'm perfectly fine taking over, I mean I can handle another hour."

Taylor shook her head. "No can do." She craned her head around the swimmer. "You're up Gabs, knock 'em dead."

Gabriella groaned and dropped off the counter, trudging up to stand beside Cynthia who had a sour pout on her face.

"Fine." Cynthia huffed, crossing her arms and going to sit on the counter where Gabriella had last occupied.

"I swear," Taylor narrowed her eyes. "If I see Cynthia up here again I'm going to come smack your pretty little face, got it?"

She rolled her eyes bitterly. "Yeah, yeah. But don't get mad at me if we don't get any more customers now that I'm up here."

"Oh shut up." Taylor rolled her eyes and snatched the cap off of Gabriella's head.

"Hey!"

"You're not going to get any takers with this hat on, alright?" The darker girl pulled the hair tie out of Gabriella's long hair, her curls spilling out of its messy ponytail to spew around her shoulders and back.

Gabriella sighed and shook her head, snatching the hat back and placing it on the counter. "Fine, I'll keep my hair down and hat off, happy?"

Taylor smiled, satisfied. "Very." She waved before turning around and weaving through the many people in the direction that she had come from.

"This sucks." Cynthia commented from the back, her short blue dress riding high as she sat down.

Gabriella sighed and nodded. "You're telling me…" She was also wearing a dress that she had borrowed from Cynthia, required by Taylor of course. It was spaghetti strapped and a nice shade of red, a summer dress that hugged her figure nicely and cut just above her knees. Of course being her, she accompanied it with sneakers and her blue cap, her cap which was now being ignored on the counter beside her.

She placed her elbows on the counter and watched as families and fellow students walked around the lush green field, laughing as they rode the many amusement park rides or played games at the other booths.

"Hi."

Gabriella furrowed her eyebrows and looked down, a smile erupting onto her face at the cute little boy looking up at her with his big green eyes. He held up a dollar bill which she took with a giggle. "Hi honey, want a kiss?"

He nodded excitedly, leaning up on his tippy toes, and even though the booth was built short his forehead still only reached over the top of the counter.

Gabriella giggled once more before leaning down and pecking his cheek. "There cutie, thanks for coming."

His smile reached his ears and the blush that erupted onto his face was the most adorable thing that she had ever seen. He grinned cutely at her once more before scurrying away.

Gabriella placed his dollar in the jar and smiled to herself.

"Look who it is!"

She looked up and grinned at Chace, the baseball player walking up to the booth in a green polo, making his bright eyes pop. "Hey Chace!"

He chuckled, leaning on the counter and waving around a dollar bill. "I came for my kiss, Montez. You better give me my money's worth."

She rolled her eyes, taking his dollar and ignoring Cynthia's whine of how Gabriella was getting to kiss the hunky baseball star. "Oh shut up, you just get one small kiss." She narrowed her eyes in warning. "That's it."

He shrugged. "Eh, you'll be begging for more afterwards."

"Zip it and just come here." She placed a hand on his shoulder and pecked his lips quickly, a bright grin erupting onto his handsome face. Gabriella glanced back at a red faced Cynthia before leaning in to whisper to her blonde friend. "Now get outta here before Cynthia takes her turn again and she makes you clean out your wallet."

Chace laughed, glancing over at the swimmer before smirking at Gabriella. "Thanks for the warning."

"You are very welcome, thanks for coming."

He nodded, waving happily before walking backwards into the crowd with a charming grin. Gabriella just shook her head. So far she was getting pretty good customers, maybe this wasn't so bad after all…

She had spoken too soon.

Her eyes nearly broke out of their sockets as a large group of guys in red and white jackets headed her way.

It was the basketball team.

They seemed to be goofing off with each other, laughing and pushing each other around as they made their way over. Gabriella's eyes landed on their Captain, who was at the front of the crowd with Chad pushing him forward.

"Here we are!" Chad announced, his hands on Troy's shoulders from behind. As they got to the booth the afro-haired male moved from behind his best friend to beside him, grinning at Gabriella giddily. "Well hello Madam."

She gulped nervously, watching as Troy instantly recognized her and clenched his eyes shut. Her heart stung at what she thought was a sign of rejection.

"Our Captain here, Troy Bolton, would like a kiss. Dontcha Troy?" Chad teased, nudging his best friend forward.

Gabriella was about to reply when her arm was grabbed and she was pulled back to come face to face with Cynthia. "I got this one Gabs." She said hurriedly, smacking her lips together and grinning at the boys.

"Uhm, okay…"

"No."

Both girls whipped their heads to stare wide-eyed at the golden boy.

"What?" Cynthia asked with disbelief.

Troy shrugged, bringing his hand up to scratch the back of his neck. "Uhm…I, well there's nothing wrong with you Cynthia…" He chuckled nervously, his gaze on Gabriella as she stared at him with an open mouth. "It's just Gabriella should take this one, I guess, I mean if she doesn't mind?"

She stared with disbelief before shaking her head. "I-I don't mind."

Troy sent her a charming smile, though his red cheeks were giving him away.

Cynthia opened her mouth to argue before sighing in defeat. "Whatever." She said bitterly, hopping back onto the counter and crossing her arms.

Troy gulped and got a dollar out from the back pocket of his jeans, placing it on the booth with a coy smile. "The guys think it'll be good luck…ya know, for the game later?"

Gabriella smiled softly, her cheeks tinted pink as well. "Uh, yeah I don't know about the good luck part. As we've gone over, I don't have the best of luck myself."

He chuckled and watched as she placed his dollar in the glass jar. "Don't worry about it. This game's an easy win."

She quirked an eyebrow at his cocky smile. "Oh, really?"

He smirked. "No doubt."

Chad sighed from beside them. "Are you guys gonna get at it or what?"

Troy sent his best friend an irritated look before sighing as well and looking back at Gabriella. "I'm sorry, Chad, he's making me do this." His eyes widened as he caught sight of her frown. "No! Gosh, no, I mean not like that. I-uh-you, it wouldn't be bad kissing you, he's not forcing me to or anything I-it's not like that..."

She nodded slowly. "Right…"

He chuckled nervously once again before looking everywhere but at her. "Uh, I guess I should, you know, kiss you now…?" He smiled sheepishly before quickly adding, "Because I want to, not because I'm being forced or anything."

"Uh...Okay."

His eyes darted down to her lips and he slowly moved towards her.

Gabriella's stomach was doing somersaults as his face was inches away, his warm breath hitting her face like a tidal wave. She gulped with anticipation just before his lips touched hers and her eyes slowly closed with pleasure as she felt his soft cushions land against her own. He moved against her perfectly, his hand flinching at his side before slowly rising to get tangled in her hair.

She reached out and without thinking gripped his basketball jacket, pulling him closer.

Their lips synchronized in a fluid motion, far more than necessary.

Suddenly the other guys behind Troy started snickering, Chad's eyes widening as well. "Uh dude…" He said, sharing amused glances with his teammates. "You can stop now…"

Troy nor Gabriella pulled apart, still gripping onto each other, their kiss still innocent for no tongue was used, yet still passionate.

Suddenly they jumped apart as someone banged the wood counter, causing the whole booth to rumble.

Gabriella whipped her head around to stare at Cynthia who just shrugged. "Whoops?" The jealous girl said with a devilish smile.

Troy shook his head at the girl in the back before his eyes landed on the brunette beauty in front of him, who had turned around again and was now staring back at him with crimson cheeks.

He suddenly narrowed his eyes skeptically, licking his lips with recognition. He knew her lips…

"Dude, let's go, the show's starting!"

Troy stumbled backwards, his arm being pulled at, but his mind was still working at a million miles per minute. His eyes were still locked onto the just as stunned brunette who was now getting further and further away. He racked his brain for answers as to why she made his toes curl, his heart jump, why he recognized her eyes, her laugh, her lips…

And then suddenly, as if the answer smacked him in the face, his eyes widened with realization. "You're…she…Gabriella?" He whispered to himself. He clenched his eyes shut, realizing just how oblivious and stupid he had been.

"Dude," Chad chuckled, gesturing to the small stage in front of them. "Look, Vivian and them are on stage with the cheerleaders."

Troy didn't even glance at the stage for he was staring in the direction of where he was just dragged away from. He couldn't see her anymore for the crowds of people stood between them, but he knew she was there. Before he could make a run for it he was dragged over to the chairs seated in front of the stage. As he took a seat next to Chad, his breathing getting deeper, and his heart beating faster, he couldn't help but glance around, looking for her.

Running a frustrated hand through his hair, Troy placed his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, placing his head in his hands and losing his mind as he slowly put the pieces together. It was all hitting him like a brick and he just couldn't handle it.

"Hello everyone!"

He glanced up at Vivian who was now on stage, a microphone in her hand. "Are we all having fun?" She asked with a large giddy grin, a roar of cheer erupting from the crowd all around. "Good, before the pep performance I have an awesome announcement, one that you all have been waiting for!"

There were murmurs from everyone as they wondered what she was talking about.

"As some of you all know, there is an impostor among us!"

Chad leaned over to his best friend. "What the hell is this chick babbling about?"

Troy shrugged, his head starting to hurt from the loud noise around him.

"At the dance a couple days ago, there was a girl, someone who dressed up as Cinderella but is anything but a Princess…"

Troy's eyes shot up to Vivian as she smirked down at him mischievously as if waiting for him to finally pay attention.

"Yes my fellow students," She continued, taking pleasure in having the opportunity to make this public. "I'd like to introduce you all to the runaway Cinderella…"

Troy's eyes narrowed as Vivian looked over his head to the crowd behind him. He turned in his seat, his eyes landing on the petite girl in the middle of the crowd, her eyes wide and shining with tears.

"No…" He breathed.

"Give it up for the pretend Princess, Gabriella Montez!"

Everyone erupted into murmurs and whispers of shock, all eyes on Gabriella as silent tears cascaded down her face. She suddenly locked eyes with Troy, pleading with him to accept her.

He opened his mouth but then closed it as he noticed some people staring at him. He turned back around and sunk in his seat.

"Dude…" Chad muttered from beside him. "Did you know…?"

Troy just looked off in front of him distantly, feeling the burning gaze of two watery chocolate brown eyes on the back of his head.

He clenched his eyes shut and shook his head. He knew he should've gotten up and went to her, told her that it was okay, wiped away her tears, stood beside her. But his rear was glued to the plastic fold out chair.

Slowly, he turned his head, looking at the small space that she had last occupied, her desperate pleading eyes etched into his brain, making his head hurt even more as his heart punched his gut as well. She was no longer in the crowd, and as people looked over the other way he knew that she had just left.

He clenched his jaw and stood up, ignoring the questioning calls from his friends behind him. Pushing through the crowd, he headed for the parking lot, looking around and praying that he would catch a glimpse of her.

Troy mentally punched himself and headed for his truck, hoping with all that he had that although he didn't find her, that he was anything but too late.

…

Ryan opened the door to the bedroom and sighed sadly as he found his best friend crying on her bed, her face buried in her pillows and her body heaving with sobs.

"Is she okay?" Sharpay whispered from behind him, craning her long neck to glance over her brother's shoulder.

"I hope so." He whispered back, taking a deep breath before approaching the bed and kneeling down beside it. "Hey Gabs…"

She looked up, tears streaming down her face. "Ry-Ryan…" She croaked out.

He nodded, placing a hand on her back. "I'm so sorry, Gabi. I'm so sorry."

She hiccupped, trying to pull herself together. As she sat up, wiping her face with the back of her hand, she froze momentarily at the sight of the other blonde who was standing awkwardly near the door.

"Sharpay…?"

The blonde sent her a weak smile. "Hey Gabriella…"

Ryan looked between the two before rubbing his best friend's arm comfortingly. "Just hear her out Gabs."

Sharpay approached the bed, her eyes down to her studded flip flops. "Gabriella…I'm so sorry about what happened, Vivian is such a bitch for doing that and that's exactly what I told her…" She looked up at a surprised Gabriella. "Look, I know I haven't been the best friend lately, you have every right to hate me, but I'm hoping you'll let me make up for lost time…I'd really like to be friends again."

Gabriella's shoulders dropped, her heart aching at the aftermath of being shattered into a million pieces. "Just…just let me cry okay?" She rasped through her sobs. "Let me wallow in self pity and…and r-realize what an idiot I am for thinking that T-Troy Bolton would ever give a sh-shit about me. We'll deal with our friendship l-later."

Sharpay smiled sadly, taking that as a good enough okay. She slowly approached the bed and sat on the edge of it, placing a hand on Gabriella's shoulder. "He's an ass for not going after you, and I bet he's beating himself up about it right now."

Gabriella shook her head, wiping the tears that had collected on her chin knowing that it was no use for they just kept coming. "Shar…" She said weakly, falling back onto her back and clutching a pillow. "I've learned that thinking like that…thinking that things will work out, and…and prince charming is going to sweep you off your feet…" She clenched her eyes shut, biting down on her lip as her pillow slowly dampened from her tears. "I-It's all…all of it, it's bullshit."

Sharpay just frowned sympathetically, sharing a worried glance with her brother, both of them wondering how the world could be so cruel.

…

Gabriella opened her eyes at the sound of a knock on her bedroom door. "Go away…" She chocked out, her throat sore from her cries. Ryan and Sharpay had left half an hour ago and since then the brunette had been crying in isolation.

The door creaked open, Regina appearing with a tight smile on her face and an envelope in her hand. "Hey honey…" She said softly, walking over to the bed in her tight spandex pink dress. She sat down awkwardly and held up the envelope. "There's a letter for you…from Stanford."

Gabriella took a second to process what was said before she instantly sat up, her eyes going wide as she took the letter and hurriedly opened it. She opened the white paper quickly, nearly tearing it in the process. "Oh my god…" She breathed with disbelief at the words on the page. "I got in…"

Regina frowned. "You did?" She honestly hoped that her stepdaughter didn't get in.

The young brunette, whose tears had now dried on her cheeks, nodded slowly. "My scholarship request was denied though…" She said with an airy voice, her smile faltering slightly though it was still large for she was grateful for just being accepted. "But I got in…" She giggled lightly with a bright smile. "I got in!"

"Wow," The elder woman sighed bitterly. "Congratulations."

Gabriella shook her head with disbelief, reading the acceptance words over and over. "I can't believe it…"

"Yeah," Regina scoffed. "Me neither…I mean first Berkeley and now this…"

Gabriella had applied to the University of California, Berkeley, as well, just in case. She had gotten in on early acceptance and a full scholarship, happy for that but what she had really been waiting for was the letter from Stanford, the school that her mother had gone to.

"I guess you really are a nerd." Regina commented sourly, Gabriella ignoring it for she was on cloud nine.

She put down the letter and didn't even notice as fresh tears streamed down her face. Finally something good happened, finally something she got to smile about.

"Well," The botoxed woman spat, getting up from the bed. "This doesn't mean anything. To still live in this house until graduation and earn your tuition money you have to work at the diner, so get over there." As she got up to leave, her eyes widened at the word that was heard from behind her.

"_No_."

Regina slowly turned around, her eyes narrowing. "What did you just say?"

Gabriella stood up with no more tears, strength in her voice. "I said no."

"Excuse me?"

Gabriella took one step forward. "I got into Stanford, Regina, that's all I wanted. I just needed to know that I could get in, I needed that. But I don't need you anymore. I'll find a way to pay for tuition on my own but what I won't do is sit around and let you take advantage of me and use my tuition as a bargain. I'm done being your servant."

Regina's eyes turned to slits. "And how the hell do you intend to pay thousands of dollars for tuition, you little ungrateful brat? Not to mention, you're an orphan. You have nowhere else to go."

Gabriella narrowed her eyes as well. "Tuition is my problem, not yours. And I have what you will never have, Regina. I have people that truly love me, I have options. So fuck off."

As Regina stared with wide eyes, Gabriella took the letter from her bed and neatly put it back in the envelope. She grabbed her back pack and swung it over her shoulder before pushing past her step mother and slamming the door behind her.

…

"Gabs?"

"Hey Carly…" She smiled sheepishly. "I kinda need a place to stay…"

Carly's grin reached her ears. "Finally, I was wondering when you'd get the balls to leave."

Gabriella just giggled, walking into the house as the door was opened further for her.

"So," The motherly waitress giggled. "Tell me what her face looked like when you told her to go to hell."

…

Troy sat on the locker room bench, hunched over with his head in his hands, only in his basketball shoes and shorts.

"Dude," Chad sighed, sitting beside him. "Forget about her," He whispered, glancing around at the other guys to make sure they weren't listening. "This is the last game of the season, there are scouts from everywhere coming to watch us, you gotta getcha head in the game."

He sighed, clenching his eyes shut with stress. "Just lay off, alright man? I got enough pressure from my dad about this."

Chad sighed and patted his best friend on the back. "Okay, but just take a breather before coming out to warm up with us. You need it." He stood up and shared glances with the other team mates. "Let's go boys!" He yelled, gesturing towards the door to the gym and leading the team out to the court.

Troy sighed contently at the silence that followed the absence of his team. He sat in the quiet for a while, his eyes closed peacefully, before a swing of the door was heard and someone walked up from behind. "Just give me a minute, I'm coming." He said bitterly, not liking the interruption.

"Troy."

His eyes darted open and he shot up from his seat, spinning around to stare wide eyed at the brunette beauty in front of him, with jeans and a red and white Wildcat's shirt on. Her hair was down naturally and framed her face beautifully, her usual blue cap nowhere to be seen. But her eyes were what he couldn't look away from, her eyes that held courage and determination.

"Look, I'm sorry for barging in on you right now, I know you need to stay focused for the game."

He gulped at her unfriendly tone of voice and slowly shook his head. "No, uhm, it's okay."

She sighed before looking away. "Troy, I just needed to tell you that I know who you are, okay?" She met his eyes again, pain etched into her deep brown orbs. "I don't give a shit about the basketball Captain, or the golden boy, I care about Troy. The one that wrote those sweet emails and told me at the dance how beautiful I was, how he didn't care who I was friends with or what my social status was."

He frowned, looking down.

"But," She said with a low, strong voice. "That Troy doesn't seem to be around anymore, so I'm done caring about him."

Her words stung, but he had to make her realize that he wasn't what she thought. "Look, Gabri-"

"No, you listen Troy," She sighed with agitation. "At the dance I never pretended be someone that I'm not, even if I was dressed a little better than I usually am doesn't mean that my feelings or words were any different than what I would say if I was just me, plain old Gabriella in jeans and a t-shirt." She shook her head. "You screwed me over, you made me believe that you were this honest, sweet guy that gave a shit about someone that wasn't as popular as you, and you know what?" She surprised him when a smile appeared on her face. "I'm over it. I'm so fucking over it."

"No, Gab-"

"No Troy. I'm done being so damn dependent. I need to start looking out for number one, for myself and no one else. I need to do what makes me happy." Her new found confidence made him want her even more and made his heart just the same knowing that she was telling him there was no chance. "Troy," She said softly, catching him off guard as a gentle look appeared on her face. "I know the guy that loves _both_ basketball and helping children is in there, is somewhere inside of you. That guy that has issues just like everyone else, that honest and caring guy that doesn't only worry about what everyone thinks of him. I know you get pressure from your dad, from your friends…" She sighed. "But you want to know what helped me? What got me through all of that?"

He just stared at her with painful eyes. "What?" He asked in a whisper.

"I accepted that the world isn't perfect, that others out there are probably more fucked up than I am." There was silence between them for a moment, their eyes just begging for the clock to turn back so that Troy could've saved her at the fair. She broke their eye contact by looking down, a sad sigh escaping her lips. "And although I have no money for college, no real family, it's you that I feel sorry for." She smiled lightly at him, her eyes shining with tears. "Just do what makes you happy, Troy. Don't worry about your dad, your friends, or even me…just think about what you want, and that's all that matters." Refusing to cry in front of him, she turned around, walking with satisfaction back towards the locker room doors. She stopped just before pushing them open. "Good luck tonight." She said quietly. And then she dissapeared.

Troy just stared after her, wondering how he had let someone like that slip through his fingers. He clenched his jaw, knowing that he was fully responsible for fucking up.

**Yikes, what do you guys think? Any suggestions? Was it messy? Please review!**


	7. Took You Long Enough

**Sorry it's late guys, honestly, and I mean honestly, I had this chapter written. I actually have a couple of the next chapters written. But I just wasn't satisfied with putting this up and I'm still kind of not one hundred percent sure it was my best, but eh, I didn't want to keep you guys waiting any longer. So, I hope you all enjoy! Lot's of love. (:**

A Cinderella Story

She took a deep breath as she exited the boy's locker room, praising herself mentally for what she had the courage to do.

"Wow."

She looked up to find Ryan standing in front of her, shaking his head with a smirk in his white shirt and red vest.

"Regina and Troy all in the same day…you go girl."

Gabriella rolled her eyes and walked in step with him down the hallway. "What are you doing here?" She asked lightly, feeling as if a large weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, however, she could still feel the hole in her heart where one blue-eyed boy belonged.

"I was just in the gym getting ready to watch the game, but I thought I'd come look for you. Carly said I could find you here."

"Yeah, well I just had to take care of something."

He nodded knowingly. "I'm glad you did."

She sent him a soft smile before sighing. "So, do you want to go back to the game?"

Ryan shrugged, though she could tell he was about to lie. "No…I mean, we could do something else, if you're not up for it…"

She giggled lightly, latching her arm around his. "Ry, it's okay. I'll go. It's the last basketball game I'll ever get to watch, and I'm done letting other people effect my decisions."

He smiled brightly down at her. "I'm so proud of you, Gabs."

She shrugged playfully. "I try."

Ryan ruffled her hair emitting a squeal of protest from her. "Come on, let's go watch the Wildcat's win tonight."

Gabriella giggled as he led the way towards the gym, the roars and lights already being heard and seen from across the hall. "I'm crossing my fingers."

…

The large gymnasium was electric with bright lights and the colors red and white. The loud cheerleaders chanted for their school courtside and hyped the crowd up with large white smiles while the Wildcat mascot did back flips across the sidelines, roaring animatedly. The red bleachers were packed with spirited students and some faculty members along with others, everyone coming out to support their team, who was facing off the West High Knights, their rival school.

It was almost halftime, the score was tied 42 to 42. Something that never happened, for the Wildcat's were unbeatable, always a large gap ahead of the other team. This meant only one thing.

The East High basketball Captain, their most valuable player, didn't have his head in the game.

"Come on!" Jack Bolton yelled to the ref as the bitter looking man called yet another foul just as the halftime beeper went off. "Troy, what the hell are you doing?"

The East High stands awed and yelled at the ref for the foul on their golden boy.

One of the Knights went up to the foul shot line, Troy standing on the sides next to him with a stone hard face on, cursing himself for making such a careless mistake.

The West High player put the shot up...and the ball_ swished_ through the net.

"Fuck." Troy hissed under his breath, clenching his jaw with anger. He shared an irate look with Chad who was giving him the usual 'what the fuck is wrong with you?' look.

He just shook his perspiring head, lifting the hem of his jersey to wipe his sweaty brow. Troy took his time to join his team on the sidelines as they all huddled together around Coach and got some water from the flirty managers with the bottles of water.

Both the managers ran up to him, offering him a bottle. He took the closest one without taking a second glance at the girls, squirting the water harshly down his dry throat. As he gulped down the cold refreshment he scanned the stands, his eyes landing on the brunette sitting in the middle of the crowd next to Ryan. She was looking down at him with a scrunched brow, a look of curious worry on her face.

He sighed, knowing everyone was wondering why the hell he wasn't on his A game.

"Troy! Get the hell over here!"

His teammates made a gap for him as he approached and walked through them, taking a seat on the bench and grabbing his towel.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Troy?" His father bellowed. "You should be crushing them right now! And now they're a point ahead of us!"

He sighed, leaning over to place his elbows on his knees. "I'm sorry dad, I'll get it together."

Jack sighed, taking his hat off and running a hand through his dark brown hair that matched his sons. "Alright guys, get in the locker room, get some water."

The team tiredly trudged away towards the locker rooms. Troy got up to follow his team and he found his eyes again drifting towards the stands to land on the brunette. He found himself zoning out again, a certain question coming to mind. _In the end, what really matters? What matters to you? _He was in the middle of his last High School Championship game, and he was letting his team down. He was letting them down because he wasn't focused on winning. He was focused on her. And Troy knew suddenly, that if he wanted to win this game for everyone, then he would have to decide what he really wanted, and he needed to figure out what to do about it. And soon.

He gazed up at the brunette in the stands. The answer was right in front of him. Her curious brow and worried stare, concern shooting down to him even after what he did to her. She was still right there, he hadn't lost her. He just had to make it or break it.

"Dude, don't tell me it's about that chick again." Chad sighed, approaching him with a creased brow.

He looked down. "Chad, I have to talk to her."

The light chocolate skinned boy shook his head and glanced up at Gabriella as well, knowing that they were never going to win this game if his Captain didn't get his priorities straight. He smiled encouragingly at his best friend. "Go get her man. I'll cover for you in the locker room with Coach. Good luck."

Troy smiled gratefully at the afro haired male before taking a deep breath and jogging down the sidelines to the middle of the stands. He looked up, locking eyes with a confused Gabriella. Everyone else in the stands stared at him expectantly, just as confused.

"Gabriella!" He called, cupping his hands over his mouth to yell over the noise. "Gabriella!" Everyone looked up to whom he was yelling to and all eyes landed on the horrified brunette who had a pissy look on her face as she stood up reluctantly.

He watched her squeeze through people as she made her way to the aisle. Taking three steps at a time, he bounded up the bleachers and met her just as she stepped into the aisle.

"What are you doing?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry." He breathed, a goofy grin on his face, a sign that he finally knew what he wanted.

Gabriella cocked an eyebrow, watching him smile with confusion. "Troy…I'm lost here."

"Gabriella," He said softly, taking her hand as a serious calm took over him . She looked down at the contact and then met his eyes in a heated stare. "I've been waiting for someone like you to come along for a long time, and I meant everything I said to you in those emails." He sighed. "And the game," He gestured down to the court. "As you can see I'm fucking up down there because I can't stop thinking about you."

She gulped in a daze, just staring at him with hesitant eyes.

"I fell for you that night at the dance, and I know I was a jerk to let you walk away…" Although he was standing on the step beneath her, he still had to slightly look down to meet her doe eyes. "But please, I know I'm late, but just give me a chance to show you that I am that guy, the guy that deserves someone like you."

She felt her heart rate quicken, the pulse of her most vital organ beating harshly against her chest. She looked deep into his ocean blue eyes, the pools of the Caribbean seas melting her within and showing her just how sincere he was. Without having to give it a second thought, a soft smile played on her face. "Took you long enough…" She whispered.

He glanced over her face with a smile twitching at his lips before it broke out into a large grin. He could feel everyone's eyes on them, even the West High bleachers seemed to be peering over to witness the commotion. "I'm sorry I made you wait." He whispered back, smirking happily.

She shook her head lightly. "It's okay."

And without further hesitation he wrapped his strong arms around her and squeezed her tight to him, smashing his smiling lips against her own.

There were gasps and sounds of shock, jealousy, excitement, cheer, all heard from the students around them. There were numerous 'awh' and 'oohs' that surrounded them as they hugged each other tightly, Gabriella's arms now around Troy's neck and pulling him just as desperately to herself as they now involved their dancing tongues and made out in the middle of their peers.

It seemed like they had been kissing forever when the loud buzzer sounded, indicating the end of halftime, and all the players returned back to the gym.

Troy and Gabriella pulled apart slowly, large smiles on both of their faces. "Go get 'em Wildcat." She whispered encouragingly to him, her face still inches away from his own.

He sent her a charming smile while unwrapping his arms from around her body and taking a step down the bleachers. He turned around towards the court before halting in his tracks and quickly spinning towards her again. Gabriella giggled as he kissed her quickly once more.

Troy shrugged. "For good luck."

She shook her head as he quickly made his way down the bleachers to his team.

Chad smirked at his best friend and patted him on the back as he joined their circle. "Wow Bolton, didn't think you had it in you."

He just shook his head and sent Chad a playful glare. "Fuck you man." He laughed with his best friend before catching his dad's eye. He silently asked for his team back, getting a nod from Jack in response. "Alright boys," Troy yelled to his team, the East High players looking refreshed and ready for another half, though their faces held slight worry as they glanced at the score board.

"Don't look at the score guys, we're down by one, which isn't a big deal. Let's make this half count. I know we can do it." He caught the eyes of all his players. "It's the last game we ever get to play as a team and I'll be damned if we lose it to those pussy's over there."

The team all snickered and smiled at their Captain's speech.

"So," Troy sighed, a cocky smirk on his face as he prepared to win. "Let's go own that court." He nudged his best friend.

Chad nodded knowingly, taking a deep breath. "WHAT TEAM!"

"WILDCATS!"

"WHAT TEAM?"

"WILDCATS!"

"WHAT TEAM!"

"WILDCATS!"

Chad grinned, pumping his fist in the air. "WILDCATS!"

"GETCHA HEAD IN THE GAME!"

The team all jumped and hollered, hyped up to win. The buzzer sounded and Troy jogged to his place on the court with a cocky smirk on his lips. He shared a knowing look with Chad, both of them thinking the same thing:

How awesome winning their last game of the season was going to be.

…

His breath was heavy, the pants that escaped his lips showing just how exhausted he was. There was only 16 seconds left on the clock and the teammate to his right had just passed the ball to him.

Troy weaved through the blue and gold players, a clenched jaw of determination on his face as he made his way towards the net. As the Knights attempted to triple team him he quickly passed the ball to Chad on his left, nodding to him in a silent agreement on what they were going to do next to win this game with a bang.

He sprinted to the net and was ready when Chad did a fade away, the ball hovering over to the right of the net. Troy used his strong legs to jump as high as he could possibly go, grasping the ball tightly in his hands before slamming it through the hoop with a loud roar. He let go of the net and landed with a boom on the gym floor beneath him.

Before he could blink the loud buzzer went off and his teammates surrounded him. They slapped his back and jumped on top of him happily, the score board reading 70 to 61 and the win going to the East High Wildcat's.

Everyone on the bleachers got up and flooded the court, surrounding the basketball team and chanting with victory. Troy was lifted in the air on the shoulders of two of his players. He punched his fist in the air and hollered.

"Son!"

He looked down and grinned at his father, taking the large awaiting gold trophy and lifting it in the air triumphantly.

Looking over to the bleachers, he grinned at a laughing Gabriella, who was standing in front of the bleachers with Ryan at her side. Ryan hollered and jumped up and down as she just shook her head and laughed, hollering as well. She looked up and locked eyes with Troy, silently praising his win with her beaming grin and big doe eyes.

The Wildcat's were Champions...again.

…

After fifteen minutes of uncontrollable craziness following the championship win against the Knights, the gym slowly started decreasing in the amount of people crammed in it. Once all the depressed West High students had left, along with their players, only the Wildcat's were left. After congratulating the players and Coach, everyone left in packs, probably headed to the after party held at Joe Minard's house, where there would most definitely be large sums of alcohol.

After getting about a million congratulatory smiles and pats on the back and having most every girl in the whole school hugging him with the excuse of their win, in which he would just politely smile and say thanks, Troy left the crowd to go find Gabriella.

He found her sitting on the bleachers with Ryan standing next to her. Just as he approached them the male blonde waved goodbye to the brunette and walked towards the exit of the gym.

"Hey." Troy grinned, watching as Gabriella looked up at him and a grin of her own spread across her features.

"Hey." She replied, getting up to stand before him. "Congratulations, that last shot was awesome."

Troy shrugged modestly. "It was nothing, but thank you."

She nodded.

"Are you going to the after party?" He asked, taking a step towards her and placing a hand on her waist. "It's gonna be huge."

Gabriella gave him a pointed look. "You're seriously asking me that question?"

He chuckled, placing his other hand on her waist as well and pulling her close so his arms rested loosely around her. "So is that a yes…?"

She giggled and shook her head. "Troy, that's not really my scene, you know that…"

"It doesn't have to be your scene, you're with me now."

She smiled softly and rested her hands on his chest. "Thank you for that, but really, I'm not into parties like that. You can go ahead though, really."

He pouted cutely. "But I don't want to go if you don't."

She bit her lip, a blush making its way onto her cheeks. "Troy, you won't have any fun if I'm there holding you back."

He frowned at the statement. "One: that's a load of bull shit. And two: I wouldn't have any fun if I went without you."

She giggled. "That's very sweet."

He smiled before sighing playfully. "Fiiiine." With a sparkle in his eye, he pulled her closer. "I have a better idea."

She cocked an eyebrow while smirking cutely. "And this idea would be?"

"I say we go out, just the two of us, and get something to eat. I want to spend victory night with my girl."

She gulped at the sweet comment, the butterflies in her stomach doing back flips. "But everyone's expecting you at the party, you're the Captain." She knew how the after party was always the big social scene after any big sport event. And for the most popular guy at East High not to show up? That was unheard of.

Troy just shrugged. "They'll live without me, no worries. Plus, they'll all be too drunk to even notice I'm not there."

"Are you sure? I mean I don't want to ruin your night."

He scoffed and shook his head. "The only way you could change my night is by making it better."

Gabriella grinned timidly and looked down. "Well, if you're sure…"

He smiled adoringly at her innocent nature and lifted her chin with his fingers. "Just wait out here until I shower, I'll be five minutes."

Nodding happily she allowed him to step back, but not before kissing him lightly first, a smile breaking out onto his face. "I'll be here." She whispered as he walked backwards towards the locker rooms.

"Five minutes!" He called, sending her a charming grin before spinning around and running towards the gym doors.

Gabriella giggled and mentally squealed, having to bite her lip to sustain her happy cry. She was spending her night with Troy Bolton, and she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

She sat down on the bleachers and took out her phone, quickly texting Carly and telling her not to wait up.

After slipping her phone back into her back jeans pocket, she sat with her hands on the bleachers at her sides, waiting patiently for her…boyfriend? She looked up instantly, realizing that she had no idea what she should call him. I mean, he had called her 'his girl', that meant they were official…right?

Gabriella just shook her head and watched her scuffling sneakers, not really caring what they were just that they were together at all, and knowing that he meant a lot to her, and hoping that she meant the same to him.

To pass the time the beautiful brunette watched the remaining students exit the gym, her head shooting up every time the door leading to the locker rooms opened and sighing as one by one the players, not being her Prince, walked in and out of the basketball court.

After almost ten minutes a large grin spread across her face as a newly showered Troy appeared from the doors, now in jeans, a navy blue t-shirt, and a black north face jacket on, his hair damp from his shower and his basketball bag hanging from his shoulder.

"Look who's late." Gabriella teased, standing up and smirking playfully.

He narrowed his eyes. "Hey, I don't think you should be complaining since I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to be with me if I still smelled like ass."

She giggled and allowed him to lace their fingers together as they walked towards the gym exit. "Actually," She scrunched her nose up cutely and sniffed him. "Now that you mention it…"

He sent her daggers as she just laughed beside him.

"Kidding." She giggled.

"Mhm, I'm watching you Montez."

"Get at me, Bolton."

Troy cocked an eyebrow at her smirk. "Woah, look whose got game."

She shrugged playfully. "I guess you're not the only one."

Chuckling, he placed his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her to his side, her hand coming up to lace with his own hand that hung lazily on her shoulder. "You just keep surprising me." He mumbled against her hair before kissing it sweetly.

She giggled against his side, pressing further into him as the night breeze whipped across her, his body heat keeping her warm. "You have no idea." She whispered happily, gazing up at his perfect face with adoration.

"So," He looked down at her. "Where to, my lady?"

**SO. REVIEW PLEASE. As you all probably noticed I changed it a lot from the actually movie, and I'm hoping that's a good thing. ALSO, I'm not just ending this story as soon as they get together, it will probably end once they go off to college in a couple months, and I'm hoping to cram in some drama between now and then. STAY TUNED (:**


	8. The Perfect Date

A Cinderella Story

Gabriella's insides hurt with all the pressure pushed against her organs. She clutched onto the fabric covering her flat stomach with force, tears coming to her eyes as her head lolled back over the squishy head rest.

If dying of laughter was possible, then she was hella sure it was happening to her.

"O-Oh my…god." She gasped for breath, giggling uncontrollably across from Troy in the small booth.

His own forehead was pressed up against the table as his body jerked with laughter.

Everyone in the small pizzeria was staring at them now, some with irritation and some with humored smiles. Once the vile of giggles died down slightly, Gabriella took a deep breath, regaining her sanity.

"That was priceless." She breathed, watching as he sat up as well, his face red from embarrassment and amusement.

Once they decided Sal's Pizza was a good place to go, Troy and Gabriella had taken his car to the small restaurant, taking up a corner booth and ordering a large Margarita Pizza with breadsticks and sodas. What was left of the devoured pizza lay forgotten on the tray at the side of the table, the two young adults forgetting about it a while ago.

Troy ripped off a piece of breadstick and popped it in his mouth. "If you ever mention this again, I'll kill you."

Gabriella bit her lip to sustain her laughter, still picturing the scene that unfolded seconds ago involving Troy's soda…and his nose.

He wiped at his nose once more, still feeling the burn of the refreshment in his nostrils. "Shit, that hurt."

She giggled, shaking her head and taking a sip of her own drink. "Wow, and I thought I was the dork."

Narrowing his eyes, he sent her daggers. "You know what, I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

She grinned cheekily and ripped off a piece of bread. "Whatever floats your boat." She sang, popping it into her mouth cutely.

Troy shook his head and looked down at the table. "Man, if Chad ever found out how I made myself look like an ass on our first date, he would never let me forget it."

Gabriella smirked. "Forget Chad, _I'm_ never going to let you forget it."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Karma's a bitch, Montez."

She giggled and watched him from under her long eyelashes. "So," She said quietly and hesitantly. "This is a date?"

His cyan blue orbs coyly darted up to meet her own deep chocolate. "I mean…I hope it is." He said in his rare quiet voice, making her heart melt at his vulnerability.

"Me too." She said softly back, smiling sweetly at him from across the table.

Troy matched her smile with one of his own as he fiddled with his straw. "So, Stanford Girl," He began, not daring to break their eye contact. "What do you plan on doing after graduation?"

She shrugged nonchalantly, noticing how her email name sounded so distant all of a sudden, like their online relationship never happened and they had known each other for real all along. "Uh…I actually just got into Stanford, so…"

A bright smile erupted onto his handsome face. "Are you serious?" He asked excitedly. "That's awesome Gabs! Congratulations!"

She giggled at his excitement and shrugged modestly. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing, Gabriella. I know how much you wanted to get in, I'm so happy for you, seriously."

She smiled, oblivious that she wasn't as excited for herself as he seemed to be. "Yeah, well," Looking down, she fiddled with her napkin, tearing off little pieces and adding them to the pile on her plate. "My scholarship request got denied, so I kind of have no way of actually paying for tuition."

His smile faltered slightly. "Shit, I'm sorry. I was sure you'd get that scholarship, you're like the smartest person I know."

"It's really not that bad though," Furrowing her brow she looked away distantly. "It's weird, ya know? I thought I'd be super excited about getting accepted, I mean if I really wanted to go I would find a way to pay for tuition, but I really don't care that much."

Troy furrowed his brow as well. "You…_don't_ want to go?"

She looked up at him with uncertainty. Suddenly she sighed, smiling brightly. "What about you? I kinda met you in a Stanford chat room, have you heard from them yet?"

He took a second to stare at her curiously before brushing off the fact that she changed the subject away from herself. "Yes, actually…" He shrugged. "I didn't get in, but its okay."

A frown covered her face and she looked at him sympathetically. "Oh Troy, I'm so sorry. I know how much you wanted to go too."

He smiled indifferently. "I kinda knew I wouldn't get in, so it wasn't really that bad of a disappointment."

Gabriella noted his honesty and furrowed her brow. "You knew that you wouldn't get in? Come on Troy, give yourself more credit than that." When he shrugged again, she quirked an eyebrow. "You…don't care that you didn't get in?"

He sighed. "I care, I just don't care that much. I mean I have other options, so I'm okay."

She nodded. "So where do you plan on going now?"

Troy thought for a second from across the booth. "Well, my dad really wants me to go to his alma mater, U of A, for basketball of course."

Gabriella nodded slowly, noting the annoyance in his facial expression. "But…?"

He looked up and met her eyes, a long sigh escaping his lips. "But honestly, I want to go to a school as far away from here as possible, the opposite of what my dad wants so I can piss him off."

She bit her lip understandingly. "Is he really that hard on you?"

"Not really…" He looked out the window of the restaurant, hardly anyone in the dark streets. "He's just proud I guess. He can't help that I'm his only son, which means more pressure on me to follow in his footsteps."

"I'm sorry, that must be tough."

He shook it off and sent her a smile. "It's whatever. Like you said," He looked at her with an emotion that Gabriella had only seen a number of times. A look of wonder and admiration. "In the long run I gotta do what makes me happy, so that's what I'm going to do."

She slowly grinned, a tint of crimson on her cheeks as she remembered when she told him that in the locker rooms. "So, does that mean you're going to study psych as well? So you can work with kids?"

He smiled sheepishly, though happy that she had remembered. "Well, I honestly do want to focus on basketball, see how far I can go with that…but, if things work out I definitely want to double major or something, in Psychology and something else that has to do with physical and mental obstacles."

"Wow," She giggled. "Troy Bolton, the shrink."

Chuckling, he immediately shook his head, his face scrunching up with protest. "No way in hell am I being a doctor like that." He protested.

"So what type of doctor do you want to be?"

"Well," He began, feeling wonder for the fact that she seemed to hold honest interest, and nerves for the fact that he was telling her about the side of him that he didn't even talk to his best friend about. "I want to be the guy that makes a kid walk again when they start to give up, like a physical therapist. Or even work with kids with autism, help them learn to read and stuff like that."

She smiled gently at the perfect guy in front of her, swooning at his kind nature and hidden love to help people, particularly children, which made him all the more attractive on the inside as well as the out. And God, was he attractive on the out. "I think that's really sweet, Troy. I can see you doing that."

He raised his hand to scratch the back of his neck, which she now was beginning to see he only did when he got nervous or modest about something. "Yeah, it's no big deal."

"What made you want to work with kids that had serious problems?"

Troy seemed to flinch at the question, staring at her distantly.

"Troy?"

He looked back at her doe eyes and innocent face, knowing that if he was going to tell his story to anyone, then it would be her, she would understand.

"Uh, well," He shrugged, a slow smile adorning his face as a memory sparked in his mind. "It was actually when I was younger, fourteen or fifteen at the time. My mom took me to the community recreational center as punishment for staying out too late on a school night. She was volunteering there and didn't want me out of her sight."

Gabriella giggled. "Oh gosh."

"Yeah," He chuckled. "At first it sucked, spending your whole Saturday with your mom, it's not cool."

"Mhm." She agreed with a giggle, urging him with her eyes to continue the story.

"Well," He continued. "My mom actually left me alone for a while to just shoot some hoops, it's hard to believe but I got bored after some time so I started to wander." Troy's face held a hidden emotion as he got further into the story on why he felt so deeply about children overcoming their obstacles. "I ended up in this room full of little kids. All of them were either in wheel chairs or on the floor playing with toys." He cleared his throat, the trying smile on as his face faltering slightly. "I uh, I walked in and one kid grabbed my leg."

She smiled softly, though it quickly vanished as she watched his eyes become hollow.

"I got freaked out at first but then started laughing. This little guy was latched onto me, staring up at me like I was his dad or something. I had no idea what to do." He shook his head, a sad, amused smile on his face. "Anyway, some lady pulled him off and said sorry, told me he couldn't help it because he had a severe case of autism _and_ short term memory loss. The first person he sees after lapsing is the person he starts to think is his parent."

The brunette across the booth gulped, her eyes shining with sadness, staring at Troy's sad smile and far off look as if he were reliving the memory all over again.

"I asked the woman what all these kids were in there for, she said they all either had spinal problems where they couldn't walk, or brain malfunctions. Most of them had autism or dyslexia, but the little guy that latched onto me, Ethan, was the only one with both recurring memory loss and autism." Troy stared at the table of the booth for a moment before sighing deeply. Attempting to bounce back and lighten the mood, he shook out of the memory, placing his hands on the table and smiling softly at Gabriella. "Anyway, I came back to the center every day after that. I taught him how to play basketball, which was tough since he didn't remember anything and we always had to start from the beginning." He shrugged. "But I still loved it. I even brought Chad one time."

Gabriella giggled softly, admiring his strength and realizing just how hard she was falling for the man in front of her. "That's…that's amazing, Troy. What about Ethan? Do you still visit him?"

He stared at her blankly for a second, his face unreadable. Suddenly he looked down. "Nah. Ethan died two years ago, had a seizure."

Gabriella's eyes widened and she placed her hand over her mouth. "Oh my god." She mumbled into her palm.

Troy just shrugged nonchalantly, having already mastered the art of putting on a brave face and pretending like something's not a big deal. "It's okay Gabs, really. He's in a better place, right?"

She removed her hand, staring at his small smile with wonder. "Uh…yeah, yeah your right."

She was finally starting to see why Troy was the way that he was, and she couldn't feel more overwhelmed with how much she felt for him. She mentally scolded herself for judging him so quickly before.

"I'm really sorry, Troy…uh, ho-how old was he?"

"Just turned five."

She shook her head sadly. "Oh my gosh, that's the worst…I," She sighed, watching Troy try his hardest not to make it a big deal. "I wish I could've met him."

He smiled gratefully at her perfect reply. "Thanks, Gabriella."

She smiled softly and nodded, not saying another word about it.

"Wow," Troy chuckled, glancing at the clock on the wall. "It's almost midnight. We've been here for like two hours."

She giggled and turned her head around to glance at the time as well. "Huh," She scoffed, turning back to him with an amused smile. "Time flies when you're having fun."

He smirked and shook his head before gesturing towards the exit behind him. "Ready to go?"

Gabriella nodded and got up, fishing for some cash from her back jeans pocket.

"Woah, woah, woah," Troy said, getting up as well and smacking a twenty dollar bill on the table. "This is a date, remember? I'm paying."

She cocked an eyebrow and giggled. "Well alright then, thank you."

"Don't mention it." He nodded with a grin of his own, placing a hand on her lower back and allowing her to lead the way towards the exit.

Once they were out into the chilly night, Gabriella shivered under the winds breeze. Troy glanced her way and smiled softly, quickly slipping his black northface jacket off and placing it over her shoulders.

"You don't have to do that, Troy. I'm fine, really."

He shook his head and placed his hands in his pockets, gesturing towards his car. "Just stop your whining and let me do nice things for you. It's our first date, I have to make a good impression." He smirked cockily as he opened her car door for her, waiting till she sat down before jogging over to the driver's side.

"On a scale from one to ten, I give you an eight." Gabriella giggled from the passenger's side, watching Troy start his range rover and back out of their parking space.

"A scale of what exactly?" He sent her an amused look, revving his engine and turning onto the main road.

"On how well you impressed me on our first date."

He cocked an eyebrow, glancing over at her petite body that no longer shivered under his warm jacket, which was far too big for her and made her look all the more adorable. "An eight? That's all I get after paying, giving you my jacket, and opening your door?"

"Fine. Eight point five."

Troy shook his head. "Unbelievable."

Gabriella laughed and sent him a cheeky smile, knowing full well that his actually rating was far over infinity and beyond.

…

After dropping by East High so Gabriella could drive her own car back home, Troy followed in his range rover, making sure she got to Carly's house safely. After parking on the curb behind her, he met her on the driveway.

"Uhm, I had a really nice time." Gabriella said quietly, walking beside Troy up to the front porch.

He nodded, gazing down at her with a soft smile. "Yeah, me too."

She glanced up at him and their eyes locked in an electric wave, causing both of them to share a knowing smile.

Troy smirked down at her, stopping just in front of the door and turning to face her. "So, I don't know if you remember, but I still had some questions left after that night at the dance…"

Gabriella cocked an eyebrow, giggling with amusement. "Oh, really?"

"Yup."

"Alright…ask away."

He gazed into her eyes with an emotion that made her toes curl. "Do you, Gabriella Montez, feel like you did the right thing…giving me a chance?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes…"

"And," He licked his lips. "Will you agree to keep seeing me after tonight?" He smirked. "Since our first date was awesome, thanks to me and my charm."

She giggled at the cocky spark in his eyes. "Yes."

Troy took a small step towards her, making her breathe stop short. "One last question…"

She gulped, her eyes never leaving his. His body was so close to hers, his hand coming up to brush against her own fingers that were quivering at her side. The corners of his lips curved lightly, staring down at her gently with adoration, as if he had finally found what he was looking for.

His cold, sweet breathe tickled her cheeks. "Will you please," He smirked. "Let me kiss you?"

Gabriella cocked an eyebrow at him playfully. She then placed her finger on her chin and pretended to think. "Hmm…I don't know about that…

His smirk grew. "I'll take that as a yes?"

She giggled, nodding cheekily. "If you must."

He chuckled quietly, lifting his hand to run his fingers down the side of her face, glancing over her features as if to memorize them. "You're special." He whispered softly before leaning down and capturing her lips with his.

She melted at his touch, her hands coming up to grip the fabric covering his chest with intensity, a burning sensation on her skin where his own hands trailed over her hips and back.

His lips were so memorable, so perfect and soft that she never wanted to separate. And the way he was holding her, so delicately as if she was some fragile thing he could break at any moment, it made her want to run to her parents and tell them that she had finally found the one.

It felt like an eternity before they finally pulled apart, breathless.

"You're my girl, Gabriella." He whispered, his forehead resting comfortably against her own.

She smiled softly, her eyes still closed peacefully.

Pressing his cheek against her head and wrapping his arms around her waist, he hugged her softly, Gabriella's arms snaking their way around his neck. They stayed like that for a moment before he reluctantly pulled back.

Troy took in a breath before pressing his lips against her forehead in a long kiss. "Goodnight." He said quietly against her forehead.

When he slowly unwound his arms and stepped away from her, she bit her lip with butterflies in her stomach. He gave her one last charming smile before turning towards the lawn and walking towards his car.

Gabriella watched him reverse and disappear down the road, her eyes never leaving the street until his headlights vanished. She smiled to herself.

"Goodnight."

…

She watched the headlights on her ceiling illuminate her dark room every time a car drove by outside, the bright lights penetrating her balcony door windows and flashing the glow in the silence.

Gabriella sighed, hugging the black jacket closer to her body, her eyes still wide open.

He had forgotten to take back his jacket and she had forgotten to give it back, both too wrapped up in each other to even realize that she was still wearing it. After walking into her new home as if she were floating, saying a quick goodnight to Carly who was still awake and sent her a strange look, and slowly walking up to her new bedroom in a dream like state, Gabriella had then noticed that she still wore the black fabric on her shoulders, the sports jacket that was too big for her and drowned her petite figure, the warm jacket that still smelled like Troy.

Alright, it was creepy. Yeah, totes creepy. She had only gone on one date with the guy and she was already convinced that he was the one, smelling his jacket and all. Not to mention after changing into a tank top and sweats, she had put the jacket back on, deciding to sleep with it as if pretending he were still there with her.

Gabriella was falling, and she didn't give a flying fuck if she was falling too hard too fast.

She didn't care because she was still in that daze like state that a girl got in after their first perfect date with their first perfect guy and their first perfect kiss.

Okay, well they had kissed before at the dance, but this was different, this was like a freaking fairytale.

Gabriella squirmed happily in her bed, grinning like an idiot and dancing by herself, not caring that it was almost 3 in the morning. Things were finally starting to turn around for her and she couldn't help but thank karma for being such a damn life saver. _The hard labor and straight A's finally paid off…hell yeah._

She turned on her side and stared out her clear balcony door windows, watching the leaves of the tree outside sway in the night's breeze. Carly, being afraid of the balcony, immediately offered the amazing and vacant room to Gabriella, who jumped at the offer and quickly moved her four boxes of stuff in, thanking Carly for the hundredth time for being so damn amazing.

Gabriella looked down at the unpacked boxes that sat on the floor, holding her small amount of stuff. She didn't own very much. She glanced at the bigger of the boxes that held her books, novels that her dad had collected and passed on to her, so she could make her own collection which was slowly growing every time she got a new page turner. Maybe her father was right, everyone had their story, their happily ever after, and now was the time that she was finally getting hers.

Except this time, with a fresh start and no bitchy step family, Gabriella intended to write her own story, making every word of it lead to her very own happily ever after.

**I hope this was okay? I wanted to explain Troy's situation but again didn't want it to seem like he was going on about it and being sappy. But now it's out there and Gabriella knows which means everything is cleared up, which makes it easier for me to write about their chemistry! PLEASE REVIEW (: Thanks for reading, xoxoxo. **


	9. Thank You

A Cinderella Story

The red tint on her closed eyelids were a clear sign that it was indeed no longer dark, which meant it was Saturday morning and time to get out of bed.

Gabriella's eyes fluttered open, squinting in her now lit room and taking a moment to adjust to the light. She glanced towards her balcony to note the sunny day outside the window panes and quickly knew that spending the day inside was not an option. Besides, every Saturday morning, cold or warm, rain or snow, she always made the time to stop by one place. Never had she not gone on Saturday morning, she always went.

Using her slim legs to pull the covers off of her petite body, she swung them off the side of the bed and dropped to the carpet, having to balance her still groggy self before standing up right.

"Gabriella!"

She quirked an ear towards the door as she heard her name being called.

Carly? "I'm up!" She yelled back, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror and grimacing at the messy bun on the top of her head and still droopy eyes. A small smile formed on her face as she noticed the black jacket still on her person, over her tight tank top.

She pulled the jacket close to herself and grinned.

"Gabriella!"

Walking towards her bathroom whilst tugging on her dark sweat pants which had ridden up as she tossed and turned in her sleep, she yelled back. "Yeah?"

"Come down here for a sec!"

Gabriella quickly squirted some paste on her toothbrush and stuck it in her mouth, walking out of her small white bathroom and towards the stairs that led downstairs. As Carly came into view at the bottom of the stairs she stopped brushing, foam collected in her mouth. "Wha 's et Cawly?"

Carly just turned her head towards the front door opposite the stairs and grinned brightly. "You have a visitor."

Gabriella's eyebrows knit together with confusion before she slowly descended the staircase more and the open front door slowly came into view, a basketball shorts and white-beater clad Troy Bolton standing in the doorway, a sexy smirk appearing on his face as he eyed Gabriella's appearance.

"Hey." He said with humor, his eyes lighting up as he stared at her.

Gabriella's mouth hung open with horror, foam threatening to spill from its cave. As some of the blue foam started to spill over her lip she placed her hand over her mouth and dashed back up the stairs to her bedroom, quickly finishing with her toothbrush and rinsing out her mouth. She then pulled her hair loose and watched with annoyance as it messily spread out around her shoulders. Running her fingers through her tangled knots, she gritted her teeth as she heard Carly call her name again.

Damn her for not giving some sort of warning. There should be a code word for these sort of things.

Groaning at the mess that she called her hair, she pulled it hastily into a low ponytail, doing a once over in the mirror to check for anything that she had missed.

Oh right, she still looked like a pile of just-woke-up-and-have-morning-hair shit. She ran towards the stairs and halted, taking a deep breath before walking down them. Smiling nervously at the tall basketball star standing in the frame of the front door, the sun from the outside making his slightly sweaty and gleaming skin glow, she shot Carly a questioning look.

"Troy here," Carly smiled. "Was just in the neighborhood and thought he'd stop by and say hello."

Gabriella nodded slowly, looking between her and Troy.

"I was actually just playing basketball with some of the guys at the court," Troy stared into Gabriella's eyes with hope. "I thought maybe you'd want to go out? Get some breakfast?"

A bright smile erupted onto her face before she caught a glimpse of Carly's uneasy eyes.

"Actually Troy, every Saturday morning Gabriella goes-"

"Carly!"

The elder woman put her hands up in defense. "What?"

Gabriella sighed, sending her new guardian a look that only she understood. "It's okay…Troy can come with me…"

Carly cocked an eyebrow, glancing at a confused Troy before eyeing Gabriella hesitantly. "Are you sure, Gabs?"

Gabriella switched her brown eyes to Troy, staring at his handsome confusion, smiling softly at the remembrance of all that he had told her about his past on their date yesterday. It was her turn to open up. "Yeah," She sighed contently. "I'm sure."

Carly watched Gabriella unsurely for a second before nodding. "Okay." She shot Troy a smile before turning towards the kitchen. "I'm just gonna grab my purse and head over to the diner, but you two have a good day." As she turned to leave she wiggled her eyebrows at Gabriella, her eyes gesturing over her shoulder to the god like guy still staring at the brunette with curiosity.

Gabriella's eyes widened at Carly's silent approval and suggestive stare. She rolled her eyes and smiled sweetly at Troy. "Uhm, I just need to change and what not…but, I mean if you want you can come wait upstairs in my room?"

Troy's eyes followed her own up the stairs and he smiled softly. "Sure." He let her lead the way to her bedroom and he smirked as he noted the unpacked boxes and bright walls. She had photo frames already put on her nightstand, pictures of her and Carly, the other folks that worked at the diner, a little girl being sandwiched between two adults that Troy assumed was a younger Gabriella and her parents.

"I'll just be a minute." Gabriella said, catching his attention. He nodded as she disappeared in the bathroom after picking up some clothes from a box by the closet.

He sat down on her bed and picked up the picture of the small family, the little girl with bouncy short curls and a big bright smile making his heart melt. If his own little girl looked like that one day, then it made him even more sure that Gabriella was the one he wanted to be with forever, have children with. He shook his head at the thought, his eyes drifting towards the closed bathroom door.

He had never really asked about her parents. Troy knew they weren't in the picture, and he also knew that Greg Montez had died in a tragic car accident years ago. Everyone knew, it was Albuquerque for god's sake. If anything big happened, like a death or a drug bust, then the whole town would know in a matter of minutes.

What he didn't know was what happened to Gabriella's mother. She obviously died before her father, a very, very, long time ago. Troy wanted to know everything.

He wanted to know everything there was to know about Gabriella Montez. He knew she was special, different. He knew that her life sucked before Carly took her in. He knew she was deep, insightful, saw things in a different light than everyone else, saw things that no one else would even take a second glance at. She was…unique.

After ten minutes that seemed to go by quickly, for Troy was lost in his own thoughts, the door to the bathroom opened, steam escaping around Gabriella's body as she appeared in the frame, light wash shorts and a loose navy tank top covering her freshly washed skin. As she squeezed her wet hair with a towel, she gestured towards the picture that Troy was holding. "Those are my parents." She informed softly, smiling.

He smiled back and set the frame back on the nightstand. "I figured." He replied quietly. "They look nice."

She dropped the towel on her bed and sat beside him, gazing at the picture as well. "That was taken on my fifth birthday. A year before my mom died."

Troy watched the side of her face carefully. "I'm sorry."

She turned her head towards him and smiled. "It's okay." She said softly.

"If you don't mind me asking…" He rose his hand to scratch the back of his neck. "I know what happened to your dad…but your mom…?"

Gabriella sighed. "Breast cancer."

He nodded slowly, wondering how the world could hurt such a beautiful person. Why _both_ her parents? It wasn't right. "I'm sorry, Gabriella."

She was strong. "It's okay, really." They sat in a comfortable silence for a second, just waiting for the other to say something. Gabriella sighed and stood up, taking Troy's hand to pull him up as well. "Will you come somewhere with me? I go every Saturday."

He smiled, leaning down to surprise her with a kiss, making a blush creep its way onto her cheeks. "I'd love to."

…

She led the way down the long black path, her surroundings awfully familiar for she had been coming here since she was a little girl, the way already memorized in her mind.

Troy followed silently, watching her carefully, his eyes dark with interest and respect.

Gabriella sighed, stopping in front of two white grave stones. "Hey Mama, hi Daddy."

Troy smiled sadly, his hands in the pockets of his black basketball shorts. He looked down at the grave stones and read the inscriptions on each one.

_Maria Montez. Loving Wife and Mother. _

_Greg Montez. Loving Husband and Father._

Troy looked up at the side of Gabriella's face, studying her gentle smile and calm demeanor. She came to the cemetery every Saturday to visit the graves of her parents, and to Troy, her genuine smile and casual stance informed him that the weekly meetings made her just the much stronger.

"I want to introduce you guys to someone…" Gabriella glanced over at him with a bashful smile, holding out her hand.

Troy took her hand and laced their fingers together, standing close beside her. "Hey Mr. and Mrs. Montez." He said politely.

Gabriella giggled at his formal tone, as if he were actually meeting them. She glanced up at his shy smile and thought of how much her parents would really love him, how much they would really be happy for her. She looked back down at the graves of her parents, the white stones right next to each other, where they should be. "This is Troy Bolton." She said softly. "The boy I met online, the one I've been telling you guys about."

He looked down at her with a bashful smirk. "I hope all good things…"

She giggled, shaking her head. "Yes, all good things." She lowered her voice. "Right, Mama? Daddy? All good things."

Troy watched her gaze distantly at the graves, her mind off in a world where her parents were really standing right in front of her. Her relentless faith made him want to hold her in his arms and protect her from reality, protect her from all the pain in the world. He wanted to hold onto her and never let go.

"Uhm," He cleared his throat. "Mr. Montez, I know you're probably wondering what my intentions are with your daughter…"

The brunette shook out of her daze and sent a humored smile up to her knight in shining bronze skin. "Oh gosh…" She giggled lightly. "Here we go."

He nudged her playfully before putting on a serious face again. "Mr. Montez, I intend to treat Gabriella the way she deserves to be treated. With respect."

She gazed up at him with adoration, biting her lip at his progressing little speech.

"Your daughter is the most…" He glanced down at her with a sheepish spark in his eyes. "The most beautiful, caring…special, sweet…smart, funny, entertaining, and most unique," He grinned. "Person I have ever met.

She giggled, crimson running up her neck to stain her cheeks.

He chuckled lightly. "I really, _really_ like your daughter, Mr. Montez, and you too Mrs. Montez, in case you were wondering." He caressed the back of Gabriella's small hand with his thumb, not noticing how his sincerity and the way he talked to her parents made her vision blurry. "Thank you for giving her to the world so I wouldn't have to live without knowing her, without meeting her."

Gabriella blinked back her emotions and angled her body further towards him. Her voice was barely a whisper. "Thank you." And it wasn't merely a thank you for being polite, it was a thank you for understanding.

He smiled softly and simply nodded.

"Well," She smiled down to the white in the field of green. "I'll see you guys next week, lots of love."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Montez." Troy nodded in their direction before turning around with Gabriella to walk down the path back to his car.

Gabriella looked over her shoulder and blew a quick kiss to the remembrance of her parents, hoping, no, _knowing_, that wherever they were, heaven in her mind, that they were smiling back at her, sending just as much love.

…

She thought she would die of old age, but no, she was now sure that the cause of her death, would be watching him with no shirt on…holy sweet Jesus.

Gabriella swooned as she watched Troy do a flawless layup, the ball falling through the hoop with a _swish_.

After having a nice breakfast at Patty's, Troy had suggested getting some ice cream, in which Gabriella could not refuse. So as they walked through the park to the ice cream car that Troy knew always sat in the middle of it for the whole afternoon, they had run into Chad.

And he had roped Troy into one more game with the guys. Yeah, he had tried saying no, explaining to Chad that he was with Gabriella. But then Jason and Zeke ran up, and they triple teamed him. Gabriella shrugged it off, encouraging him to go for she didn't want to get on anyone's bad side.

"I'll be watching on the grass, it's no big deal." She had said, finally convincing him to play a quick game of two on two.

Chad and the guys had smiled brightly and approvingly at Gabriella, already starting to like her. So here she was, sitting on the grass, watching the shirtless guys play basketball and every now and then timidly cheering her man on. She was happy, she wasn't sitting alone at home on a Saturday, she wasn't forced to work. Everything was turning around for her.

That was until Vivian came strolling up to the court, her two minions right behind her, all of them in miniskirts and belly button tank tops, except for Jillian who of course only had a bikini top on.

As they stared the brunette down, Gabriella seemed to shrink five times smaller under their demeaning gaze.

Chad was the second to notice the arrival of Barbie's protégés, minus Sharpay who had disbanded from the group at the fair yesterday when the mean girl had outed Gabriella. "What the hell are you guys doing here?" He asked, stopping the game, the ball now still in his hands.

"We were just enjoying the nice weather!" Vivian giggled, her eyes trained on the shirtless Captain, who eyed the three girls with suspicious curiosity.

Jillian came to stand beside her leader, her hands on her bony hips as a smirk adorned her face. "We thought you guys might be here…"

Jason waved excitedly at her. "Hey Jillian!" As all the guys shook their heads at him, the mop topped oblivious boy just lifted his shoulders with a puzzled look. "What?"

Gabriella slowly stood up, catching Troy's eye. He gave her a reassuring smile and a nod of his head, causing a small smile to appear on her previously uneasy face.

It quickly faded away as she caught sight of Vivian's deathly glare.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?" Vivian hissed, pointing dramatically at the petite brunette.

Troy took a step towards the blonde. "She's with me."

As her eyes widened with surprise, Vivian shared shocked glances with her two followers. "Are. You. Fucking. Serious?" She burst out, shocking everyone.

Gabriella took a frightened step back at the crazed look in Vivian's features.

"You replaced me with her?" She screamed, Troy just shaking his head at her and looking at the blonde as if she were crazy. Vivian suddenly stomped up to Gabriella. "You dumb little bitch, how dare you steal him away from me!"

Troy's jaw tightened with anger as he made his way towards the girls. Just as he was about to demand that Vivian take a few steps back, another voice was heard. A voice that shocked everyone.

"Back the fuck up Vivian!"

Everyone froze. Vivian slowly turned around to stare wide eyed at the holder of the high pitched voice who had appeared out of nowhere. "Excuse me?" She asked with disbelief.

Sharpay walked up to Vivian, her eyes narrowed in slits. "I said," She growled dangerously. "Back the fuck up."

Vivian gasped, her hand cupping her mouth as she stared at the platinum blonde. "Sharpay…" She whispered incredulously. "What are you doing?"

Sharpay just placed her manicured hands on her hips. "I should've done a lot more to you then just calling you a bitch at the fair yesterday, _Viv_, and now's my chance. I'm standing up for my real friend and not some fake bimbo like you. I didn't get to say what I really thought about you, because well, I have a lot to get across. I'm fucking sick of your hissy fits and the way that you talk to me, like your Queen of fucking Sheba." Sharpay looked around at everyone, wanting everyone to know that she was back. "I'm Sharpay fucking Evans, people! I don't follow around anyone because you all should be freaking bowing down to me!"

She mocked pouncing on Vivian, causing the frozen blonde to jump with fear. "Now get the hell out of here before I beat your ass for all the times you've treated me like shit." She narrowed her eyes. "_No one_ treats Sharpay Evans like anything other than royalty."

Vivian gulped with fear before slowly scampering around Sharpay, scurrying over to Jillian and Bethany who looked just as frightened. The three girls quickly walked away, glancing back as if not processing what just happened.

The guys and Gabriella continued to just stare at Sharpay with wide eyes and open mouths as the blonde just fixed her hair and smoothed down her skirt, as if composing herself. "Well," She grinned as if nothing had just happened. "Now that that's over with, who wants to get some ice cream?"

…

"Will you stop freaking looking at me like that?" Sharpay huffed, taking one more lick of her cotton candy ice cream cone.

Gabriella shook out of her stare before looking back down to her own cone, consisting of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Sharpay had supported Gabriella at the fair yesterday and apparently cut her friendship with Vivian and her minions, but the two old friends had yet to actually really talk about the drama queen's sudden change of heart.

"Sorry." She said softly from next to Sharpay as they sat on a park bench.

The blonde glanced over at the brunette and sighed. "Look, I know this is weird Gabriella. And I know it's all my fault…"

"Well," Gabriella laughed sarcastically. "You kinda did ignore me for the past couple years ever since my dad died and then suddenly show up in my room yesterday..."

"I know…" She sighed sadly. "And I'm really sorry about that."

"Why?"

"Why, what?"

She shrugged, licking her ice cream. "Why are you sorry?"

Sharpay rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry for not being there for you like my brother…I guess," She looked down with guilt. "I guess I was just scared."

Watching her with slight suspicion, Gabriella could recognize the honesty. Sharpay didn't mean to abandon her.

"I loved your dad too, he was like my second father…" She glanced at the brunette with a sad smile. "You know that."

"I know, Sharpay."

"Gabriella…"

She looked up and sighed. "Yeah?"

"I really am sorry."

Gabriella smiled softly. "I know you are, Shar, I forgive you."

The drama queen smiled brightly, placing a giddy arm around her renewed friend and squeezing her tightly. "I'm so glad we're friends again, I've missed you Gabs."

Gabriella giggled. "I've missed you too, Shar."

…

Troy and Chad watched Gabriella and Sharpay embrace from across the court with the faces of oblivious men that would never understand women.

"Do you think they're friends again?" Chad asked, the sounds of Jason and Zeke trying to jump high enough to get their heads through the hoop heard from behind them.

Troy shrugged, tilting his head to the side without a clue. "I think…I mean they're hugging…girls do that with their friends…" He looked at Chad with a perplexed face. "Right?"

Both men looked back over at the girls who were now making their way towards the court with smiles on their faces.

"Women." They both muttered in unison.

…

They sat giggling in the grass beside the court, talking about their lives during the years that they had missed because of the rift in their friendship.

"Oh my god, I'm so going to hassle him about that later." Gabriella giggled, making a mental note to torture Ryan about his Elvis Presley peanut butter accident.

"You better." Sharpay giggled. "I mention it like five times a day and I think he's so used to it coming from me that he doesn't even care. But now I have you to bring it up again." She laughed devilishly.

The brunette shook her head. "He's going to get all whiny and start stomping like a little girl."

"Oh my god, he does always do that!"

They both burst out into laughter, the giggles dying down as they saw the four guys approaching them.

"Oh yeah," Sharpay leaned over to whisper to Gabriella. "I have to ask you about _that one_ later," She gestured to a glistening Troy. "_Mrs. Bolton_."

Gabriella blushed and shook her head. "I am so looking forward to your interrogation, Shar." She said sarcastically.

The blonde wiggled her waxed brows. "Can't blame a girl for wanting the details."

Just as Gabriella nudged Sharpay's arm, Troy plopped down on the grass on the other side of the petite brunette. "Hi beautiful." He greeted, kissing her cheek.

Gabriella giggled. "You're all sweaty." She observed, scrunching her face up cutely even though she really didn't mind at all. Honestly, she would much rather he have no shirt on and get all tired and perspired...alright girl pull yourself together.

Troy cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" He leaned forward and rubbed his forehead on her cheek playfully, emitting a squeal of protest from Gabriella.

"Ewwww!" She squealed, reeling away. "You're getting me all gross!"

He chuckled and picked up the white beater that he was wearing earlier. Wiping her face with the shirt, he grinned cheekily. "There, all clean." He said with a smirk, both of them not realizing the matching smirks on the four others around them.

"You're unbelievable." She giggled, snatching the shirt and putting it on the ground beside her. "Now I'm gonna smell."

Troy shrugged. "Good, now all the other guys will stay away from you."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed his face. "Revenge is a bitch."

He smirked. "Getting rough, Montez? I like that."

Rolling her eyes once more she leaned over and kissed him. At the sound of an abrupt cough, she pulled back, releasing his face.

"Sorry to interrupt your little love fest…" Chad smirked, Gabriella's face going beet red as she realized that they actually weren't alone. "But we're gonna head out."

Troy smiled with amusement at Gabriella's red cheeks and timid stance as she looked down and hid her face. He nodded at his friends. "Later guys."

Zeke and Jason waved as Chad just shook his head. "See ya, Hoops." The three guys turned around to walk in the opposite direction as Sharpay just stood up and brushed her skirt off.

"I gotta go too, but I'll see you guys at school Monday."

Gabriella sent the blonde a sweet smile. "Bye, Shar."

"See ya." Troy nodded.

Sharpay strutted off but not before looking over her shoulder. "Oh and kids?" She smirked mischievously. "Don't forget to be safe, use condoms, you know, all that jazz." She giggled with satisfaction at the brunette's horrified expression before walking off.

Gabriella's eyes widened and she placed her face in her hands. "Oh my god…"

Troy just chuckled, laying back on the grass and shaking his head. "I think I'm starting to like Sharpay."

Gabriella sent him a what-the-fuck look before standing up and holding out her hands. "Come on, we're going before I find some other way to embarrass myself, since the world is out to get me."

Troy rolled his eyes playfully before taking her hands and standing up, grabbing his beater from the ground. "I thought Sharpay was the drama queen…"

Gabriella cocked an eyebrow, smacking him on the arm.

"Ow!" He frowned. "Unnecessary."

**So, tell me whatcha think. This is kind of the first time I'm writing them happily together and I'm kind of iffy on how I did lol. Reviews make for a faster update, just sayingggg. XOXOXO! (:**


	10. Just Can't Say No

A Cinderella Story

Troy and Gabriella did not spend Sunday together, unfortunately. For the past two days the new love birds had blissfully been in the new relationship phase, where they wanted to spend every waking moment with each other, and they still were in that phase, constantly thinking about one another and texting whenever they had the chance during that oh so ordinary Sunday. But because he had agreed with his team that because basketball season was over they would still have weekly practices, just to keep in shape, Troy spent his Sunday running laps around the track, hollering at his players to stop being lazy and pick up the pace. Meanwhile, Gabriella sat at home, being the ambitious one that she is, and decided to devote her Sunday to homework. However, she was grateful for the fact that it decreased in size drastically since disbanding from her stepfamily, Eliza and Fran's homework primarily given to them and only them to complete now.

But after spending almost every minute with her…significant other?...boyfriend…? friend…?

Yeah she still had no idea what to call him, since he had yet to ask her the official question of if she would be his girlfriend. Gabriella sighed. Anyway.

After spending the best two days of her life with Troy, she was going through slight withdrawl, trying to focus on the essay in front of her yet desperately glancing at her phone every five seconds and freaking out every time he would send her a message, which was scarce since he was conditioning with his team and couldn't really carry his phone around with him.

She bit on the end of her pen cap and drilled holes into the paper in front of her, trying-but failing-to not look over at her phone unnecessarily. She finally sighed and gave up, dropping her pen and closing her folder. The essay was due in two weeks, it could wait. She grabbed her phone and rolled onto her back, the mattress beneath her not creaking as she did so, which she wasn't used to. Her old mattress which was still in Regina's attic made it impossible for her to move even an inch, for the loudest shrill resulted from it if she did.

She smiled to herself at the soft soundless material, the one that Carly had already had in the room because it was originally supposed to be a guest room, fully furnished and all.

"Hey kiddo, you wanna go to the store with me?"

Gabriella pulled her head up lazily and glanced at the frame of her door, where Carly was now standing with a smile.

"The best part of living alone is the grocery shopping. You get to buy whatever junk you want and there's no mom's around to yell at you."

Gabriella giggled and swung her legs to hang off the edge of the bed, dropping to her feet and sauntering over to Carly with a grin. "Sure, my first time going to the grocery store with you...I've been looking forward to this day for a while."

Carly shook her head. "Oh child, this is gonna be fun." She turned on her heels with spunk and skipped down the hall. "I'll meet you in the car!"

"Okay!" Gabriella glanced at her cell phone one last time before sticking it in the back pocket of her jeans and grabbing her jacket off her computer desk chair as she made her way out the door.

…

One day was too long. That was a given.

To say that not seeing her for one whole day, not touching her soft skin or smelling her sweet scent, it was like torture for Troy.

He glanced around the busy hallway, trying to catch a glimpse of her between the mess of people.

Troy had offered her a ride this morning, he didn't want to waste any time away from her. But because of a stupid Student Council meeting she was going in early anyway and getting a ride with Taylor, insisting that she didn't want him to have to wake up earlier than usual just to drive her.

The thought of why they felt so jittery when not together at such an early stage of their relationship probably crossed both Troy and Gabriella's minds sometime between last seeing each other at her doorstep Saturday night, to now, when they were moments away from being within reach. It crossed their mind, but they didn't question it.

Both of the seniors-almost high school graduates- knew they only had a couple months left to be together, and then the inevitable would happen.

College, long distance, the whole hoorah.

So they would use this time sparingly, because both of them knew that what they had, and what was getting stronger every minute they were together, was something to hold on to. The idea of letting go after graduation, after having such little time together, after discovering that there really was that perfect someone, well…it was depressing. And no doubt something that both high school seniors refused to open their arms to.

"Dude, free period, Tyler and Evan challenged us to a game of two on two, you down?"

Troy glanced at his best friend, nodding absentmindedly as he scanned his peers, trying to spot her flawless face. "Uh, yeah…whatever, man."

Chad sighed, shaking his head. "Alright, enough is enough." He shoved Troy's shoulder and watched with disbelief as he didn't give any acknowledgement that he even felt it. "Dude, snap out of it!"

Troy shook out of his reverie and furrowed his brow. "Chad, chill out, I was paying attention."

The afro haired man gave his best friend a pointed look. "Yeah right man, and pigs fly." He scoffed. "You were looking for Gabriella and it's written all over your, whipped as fuck, face."

"Shut the hell up," He sent daggers to a snickering Chad. "I am not whipped. I haven't even asked her to be my girlfriend yet."

"Yet, my friend. Yet."

Troy shut his locker, leaning against it with his hands in his pockets casually. "Dude, you're the one who needs the girlfriend, someone to tame your cock."

It was Chad's turn to send daggers. "I don't need a girlfriend, they're annoying. A good lay is all a pimp needs."

Troy shook his head, looking over his fellow students in the hallway, simply smiling in acknowledgment as a bunch of girls grinned and waved flirtatiously at him. "Even a pimp can fall in love Chad." He muttered distantly, still looking for the raven haired beauty.

Scoffing, he rolled his eyes. "Whatever." Chad suddenly backtracked. "Wait…love? You love Gabriella?"

Troy snapped his head over to the chocolate skinned boy and his eyes widened. He had just started seeing Gabriella on Friday, no way was it the_ L_ word. It couldn't be…could it? "What? No! I never said that!"

Chad snickered. "Yeah right, you don't even have to say it. You _swoon_, every time she's within five feet of you."

"What? I don't fucking swoon!"

"Yeah, and my mother's a pole dancer."

"Ugh," Troy shivered. "Stop with the freaking analogies, that one was just weird."

Chad just shrugged. "Whatever. You're so in love."

Troy sighed. Yeah, he had_ somewhat_ known Gabriella for a while before actually meeting her, that didn't justify that he was in love with her, that didn't prove anything. They had talked online, even if they did talk about private stuff, and even if he did kinda fall for her text messages and emails first, and she always did seem to understand him, and on the day they first met at the dance, the fireworks that went off…He shook his head abruptly. It was too soon. He'd never even felt anything possibly close to it with any other girl, he had no idea what it even felt like. It wasn't freaking love.

"So, the basketball banquet, this Friday…" Chad scanned the crowd as well. "Who do you think I should bring as my lady?" He eyed a skinny girl with long red hair that smirked at him and Troy as she walked by with her friends. "And we have a winner! Ding ding ding!"

Troy shook his head and glanced at the red head briefly. "I don't know man, bring whoever you want."

The basketball banquet was a small formal party that the coach's organized for all the players and for some reason, the cheerleaders. It was held in the gym to celebrate the overall season, losses and victories all. At the end of the season the gym was nicely decorated with tables covered in white linen cloths and fancy looking cutlery, a tradition since the school was first opened.

All the players got to bring their families and more importantly, a date, usually the first hot girl that they spotted in the hallway the day before. But some, like the other senior guys that were more mature-minus Chad-brought their actual girlfriends, girls that they were serious about. And it was a big deal. The banquet was a big deal, you openly shared your date with the sacredness of basketball. Asking someone to the banquet was like second to asking someone to prom. Everyone noticed who you brought, everyone especially noticed who Troy Bolton brought every year. And that was usually some girl that he had been casually dating, and no one gave it a second thought because they knew it was just that, casual. But not this year.

Troy wanted to bring Gabriella.

"You're bringing her, right?"

He glanced over at Chad. "Huh?"

Chad sighed, exasperated. "Dude, are you deaf now? Cause you don't seem to hear anything I say anymore."

"Sorry," Troy sighed. "What did you say?"

"I said," He elongated. "You're bringing Gabriella, right? To the banquet?"

Troy rubbed his anxious palms on his jeans and nodded. "Yeah, I think so man."

"Yeah, I figured." He chuckled. He really did actually like Gabriella. Troy was Chad's best friend, and the dark haired brainiac was good for him. She seemed honest. And more importantly, she brought out a side of Troy, that at times could be annoying, that he sensed was more his best friend's true personality than it had ever been, he saw pure happiness for the first time in his brother's eyes. Chad liked that. "So, back to me." He smirked. "Seriously dude, who should I-" He smirked, catching sight of her at the end of the hallway. "Well, well, well, look who it is…"

Troy saw her before Chad did. A bright smile was already plastered on the captain's face. He distantly nodded to his best friend who was shaking his head with a smile before briskly walking down the hallway, people reflexively staring and making a path for him.

Gabriella hadn't seen him yet and was glancing around the hall, already having spotted Chad for his locker was the first place that she looked. Suddenly as people started moving in front of her, she glanced forward and a bashful grin graced her already glowing face.

It was like in the one day that she was deprived of him, he had gotten even better looking than before. His gray shirt clung to his chest yet was loose on his torso, his jeans hanging low and showing his black Calvin Klein boxers. And his eyes. His beautiful dear eyes that she couldn't get enough of. They were ignited with light.

He stopped in front of her, immediately scooping her small frame into his embrace.

"Troy…" She breathed into his neck, closing her eyes and clinging to the fabric on his chest. He smelt so good, like mint and shampoo.

He breathed in her scent, lavender and strawberry, his face dug deep into the bounciness of her soft curls. "I missed you." He muttered sheepishly.

Gabriella giggled softly, a sound that he missed in the long 24 hours. "I missed you too."

He pulled back to get a view of her rosy cheeks and doe eyes. "You look beautiful today." And she really did. She was wearing a clean white unbuttoned blouse over a bright orange tank top, a dark jean skirt covering her long tan legs.

She smiled timidly and looked down at his chest, fidgeting with his t-shirt. "Thank you."

He smiled at her innocent nature and ran his hand down her arm and all the way down to her hand to lace their fingers. "Come on," He said, just as the warning bell rang. "We have English."

She nodded and squeezed his hand, allowing him to lead the way towards their first class of the day, and allowing his confident grip on her small hand to give her the courage to ignore the jealous and questionable looks that everyone around them shot at the couple as they walked together through the halls of East High.

…

She sat with her chin perched in her hand in the back of the classroom, staring dreamily at the back of his perfect head for the whole one and a half hours of their AP English Lit class.

Ryan 'psst' her three times before she finally broke from her hypnosis and paid him the time of day. She raised her eyebrows at him questioningly.

The blonde haired drama major stuck his finger metaphorically down his throat and pretended to gag, proceeding to place his arms around himself and make puckered lips. Gabriella shot him a cold scowl for his mocking before turning her head back forward and continuing to stare at Troy, the focus of every girl in the room's attention right now. It was true, every girl but two-an emo chick and some lesbian-were ignoring the boring lecture at the front of class and instead focusing on every little movement that the god in the front row made.

If he shifted in his seat the females froze, and if he sneezed…that was a different story all together.

But Gabriella didn't care about the other girls. She knew the god at the front of the class, his movements, sneezes, and all...They belonged to her.

Finally the bell rang and everyone shot up from their seats with relief, hustling and bustling to get out of the door faster. Troy just simply stayed in his seat and waited till Gabriella walked down the aisle to him before getting up and placing a hand on her back, a short girl with pigtails and bright pink lipstick shooting the brunette a mean scowl of jealousy.

"I hate that we only have one class together." Troy said quietly in her ear from behind her.

She smiled slowly and nodded. "Me too."

After getting out of the classroom and into the hallway, Troy stood in front of Gabriella and gripped her waist.

"I'll see you at lunch, right?" She asked quietly, only looking at him and not the others around them.

He nodded. "Yeah, I'll find you."

She smiled sweetly up at him and allowed him to place a kiss on her lips. "See ya." She breathed, her stomach in knots and her lips burning like they always did when he kissed them.

He winked, releasing her and turning for the opposite direction. "Bye, baby."

She watched him walk away, as usual a clear path in front of him. A group of guys walked up beside him and they did their guy handshake as they made their way down the hallway. She smiled to herself and turned around as well, heading for her next class when she almost walked right into Taylor.

"What the hell."

Gabriella cocked an eyebrow. "Tay?"

The darker girl grabbed her friend by the arm and pulled her to the side of the hallway so they weren't in anyone's way. "Please tell me it's not true."

She gave her a perplexed look. "What's not true?"

"That you, my pure friend, are not dating Troy lunkhead Bolton."

Gabriella was about to open her mouth and protest 'yes, I am dating Troy lunkhead Bolton' but considering he still hadn't asked her to be his official girlfriend, she didn't want to assume. "Uh, I mean yes, we're together, if that's what you're asking."

Taylor's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets. "What? When the hell did this happen? _Why_ the hell did this happen?"

The brunette merely shrugged. "It just did." She slowly smiled, looking off at nothing. "I really like him, Tay."

The student body President scoffed. "He's Troy Bolton, Gabs. He's like, the biggest player in the school."

Gabriella narrowed her eyes defensively. "He is not, Tay. He's different."

She rolled her dark, almost black eyes. "Yeah, and my grandma's a pole dancer."

Gabriella scrunched her nose, not knowing that Taylor was much like Chad in the category of comparisons. "Okay, ignoring that comment." She sighed. "Taylor, you don't know him, okay? If you got to know him than I bet you wouldn't see him as a 'lunkhead basketball boy' anymore."

"You know what, fine, maybe you're right." She gripped Gabriella's shoulders bluntly. "All I'm saying is, be careful. He may be okay, but his world isn't so nice."

Her neat eyebrows furrowed with skepticism. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Taylor glanced at her ignorant peers around her before locking back onto the petite brunette. "You can take the boy outta the strip club, but you can't take the strip club outta the boy." She cocked an eyebrow. "If you get what I'm saying."

Gabriella's brows furrowed even more. "Okay…Taylor, have you been sniffing sharpies or something?"

The plaid wearing chocolate woman straightened up and gave Gabriella an authorative look. "Just think about what I'm saying, okay? Just be careful. Keep some walls up."

She nodded slowly and watched as Taylor brushed past her and walked away.

Shaking it off, Gabriella walked off as well, distantly running through what Taylor had said. _Should I be worried? A little more, cautious?_

She shook her head with a smile. She knew him, and she knew he wouldn't hurt her.

Little did she know, even if he, himself, didn't hurt her, his world of basketball, popularity, and jealousy, was waiting to pounce.

…

As soon as Gabriella walked into the cafeteria with Ryan, she scanned the mass of people for her prince. Peering at the large round table where all the jocks and popular people sat, and where Troy usually sat, she made him out in the middle of the table, Chad by his side and a cheerleader on his other. She just mentally shrugged and decided to talk to him later, or maybe he would come to her, because there was no way that she was going over there.

"Hey." She smiled, sitting down next to Ryan at their usual table where Taylor and Kelsi Nielson were already sitting.

"Hey Gabs," Kelsi greeted quietly, glancing at Ryan timidly and giving him a small smile. Everyone knew she harbored a crush on him, well, everyone except for Ryan. "Hey Ryan." She said softly.

He shot her a dazzling white smile, making the composer gulp. "Hey Kels."

Gabriella watched them with a smile before turning towards Taylor who sat across from her. "Whatcha writing?"

Taylor was furiously scribbling down something on a piece of paper. "Uh, nothing, just some notes." She gestured to the open history book next to her.

The brunette nodded. She opened her brown sack lunch and took out her sandwich, looking up just as Sharpay came huffing up to their table and sat down next to Taylor. "I hate people." She declared, flipping her platinum hair over her shoulder.

Gabriella giggled, biting into her turkey on wheat. "What's got your panties in a twist?" She asked with amusement.

Sharpay snapped her fingers, a small blonde girl scurrying up to the table and placing a formally prepared tray of food in front of the drama queen. "Thanks Carrie." She said hurriedly, shooing the freshman away. "Well," The irritated blonde began, forking some of her salad. "I walk onto my stage today to find that they haven't adjusted the freaking overhead lights." She chewed harshly. "I mean, how hard is it to readjust some damn lights." She looked over at her brother. "Did you know about this?"

Ryan tried not to burst out into laughter. "No, Shar. I didn't know about it."

"What's the big deal about the lights?" Gabriella asked.

Sharpay's head snapped towards her and her jaw dropped. "Are. You. Fucking serious?"

"Uh…maybe?"

She scoffed. "Gabs, if the lights aren't perfectly adjusted to my caliber then my performance is completely ruined! The lights currently hit too much of my right side!" She glanced around the table, looking for someone to agree with her vain logic as if it were obvious. "My left is my good side!"

Gabriella and Ryan shared an amused glance before looking back at the overdramatic blonde.

"I'm so sorry, sis. I'll make sure they're fixed before our next rehearsal."

She nodded gruffly. "That's what I like to hear."

Gabriella snickered and just continued to focus on her food. "I'll be right back." She said, holding her yogurt as she got up to get a spoon. As she approached the plastic utensil stand a familiar presence came up behind her.

"Guess who." He said huskily in her ear from behind, holding her waist in front of his body.

Gabriella giggled, shaking her head. "Hmm…I don't know, is it my super hot foreign boyfriend Lorenzo?"

Her body was spun around and she came face to face with a smirking Troy. "You think you're funny, but you're really not."

She giggled again and shrugged. "I try."

He just narrowed his eyes the slightest bit in a playful scold and shook his head, before smiling at her and gesturing towards the cafeteria doors. "You wanna get outta here? I'll buy you a smoothie."

Her eyes lit up with joy. "Sure." She nodded, lacing their fingers and walking towards the exit with him. She tossed her yogurt in the trash can on her way out and caught sight of Ryan and Sharpay staring at her from their table. At their sly looks, she nodded towards them with an amused smile.

…

Gabriella sipped from her strawberry banana smoothie as she sat across from Troy at a small table at Robeks, only a mile away from East High.

"So," He said, holding his own smoothie and switching it between his hands. "I kinda have something to ask you."

Gabriella froze for a second with anticipation before nodding calmly and offering him a bright smile. _This was it_, she thought. He was going to ask her to be his girlfriend.

"Well, I was just wondering…"

She nodded, urging him to get on with it. "Yes…?"

"Uh, well, I was wondering if you were doing anything this Friday…"

Her shoulders dropped slightly before her brow furrowed. "Uhm, no I don't think so. Why?"

"Well, you know the season's over…and every year at the end we have the banquet..."

Her eyes widened slightly with realization. The basketball banquet. She had nearly forgotten about that, it was usually the talk of the school for the whole week after it. She gulped nervously. Only the most popular people were at the banquet…the cheerleaders, the players, and even Vivian went every year, even if she wasn't a cheerleader she always went, of course her little minions in tow.

"Oh, yeah." She said, suddenly feeling small. She knew what he was going to ask, and she didn't want to hurt his feelings. The basketball banquet was a big deal, and ignoring the criticism from everyone during school was bad enough, but surrounded by all the intimidating royalty of East High, plus all the girls that tortured her daily? Not Gabriella's cup of tea. And also the fact that she would be on Troy Bolton's arm, the guy that everyone worshipped…she couldn't measure up to him, she was just going to embarrass him, hurt him, make him look bad. She couldn't do that.

"Uh, I was hoping that, well…you'd go with me?" He smiled hopefully. "As my date?"

She tried not to let her smile falter as she looked down at her drink and racked her brain for some excuse to make. Saying no was a big deal though, and she really didn't want to see his eyes after she said it. "Uh…I don't know, I might have something going on that day."

She could feel his face falling, she could just feel it without even looking up. "Oh." Was all he said.

Clenching her eyes shut, she couldn't take it anymore. Looking up to meet his disappointed eyes, she sighed. "Look, Troy, I'm sorry. It's just…"

He furrowed his brow. "It's just what?"

She gazed at him for a long moment before sighing regretfully. "I don't think it's my place." She said almost inaudibly.

His brow furrowed even more. "What? Your place? What does that mean?"

She shrugged, feeling even smaller. "It's just not my scene, Troy. The banquet's your big night, I don't want to dampen it for you."

She gulped as his face hardened with an emotion that was unrecognizable to her. "Gabriella," He said roughly. "I'm asking you, I want you to be there with me, I want to share it with you. I don't give a shit about anything else."

She bit her lip and looked down. "Troy…"

He sighed and grabbed her hand from across the table. "Look, Ella,"

She glanced up at the new softness in his voice, loving how her new nickname rolled off his tongue.

"Do you remember last Friday? After the game?"

She nodded. "Our first date." She said softly.

"Yeah, but before when we were in the gym, before I went to take a shower."

She nodded slowly, confused. "Yeah…"

"I asked you to come to the victory party with me, but you said it wasn't your scene. And now you're doing the same thing."

She looked down, realizing the connection. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

He shook his head and lifted her chin with his finger. "Gabriella, I really like you. Just like before, I don't want to share my big night with anyone but you. It's your scene if it's my scene. So please, just come with me to the banquet." His eyes twinkled with hope. "Please, it would mean a lot to me."

She bit her lip and stared deep into his mesmerizing blues, finding it impossible to disappoint him again. She sighed with defeat. "Okay." She breathed. "I'll go with you."

Slowly, a bright grin erupted onto his face and he kissed her hand. "Thank you."

She nodded, knowing that she would go to the end of the world and back for him. It would always be yes.

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